India yet to find reason for darkening Siang
Context
The Union government has conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, including at the highest levels of the government, on the unusual darkening of the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh, Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Thursday
Cause of darkening
- Excessive silt: Official reports of the colour of water in the Siang changing emerged from the Arunachal Pradesh office of the Central Water Commission (CWC) on November 10, attributing it to excess silt
- High levels of iron: Another report from the Arunachal Pradesh Water Supply Department showed that iron levels were beyond permissible limits and samples from the river beyond Pasighat and Jonai showed higher Aluminum and iron levels
- Landslide/earthquake: The reason for change in water of River Siang may possibly be because of any landslide/earthquake/any other activity in upstream region of Tuting site across the international border with China for which information is not available. Exact reason is not known as yet
Siang
The Siang enters India from Tibet, where it flows for about 1,500 km as the Tsangpo and becomes the Brahmaputra after it flows into Assam
Sharing concerns with China
Reports from Arunachal Pradesh and Assam blamed tunnel construction by China in Tibet. India nevertheless raised the issue with Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, during his visit to India on December 11, 2017
