Guwahati: Few believed him when six years ago activist-politician Ashok Singhal highlighted a series of Chinese hydro-power projects on the Yarlung Tsangpo (also called Yarlung Zangbo in China and Brahmaputra in India), through satellite imageries and warned people and the governments in the northeastern states of the danger of the mighty river slowly getting dried up. He was vindicated last month when Beijing officially intimated New Delhi on blocking a Tsangpo tributary for a hydro-power project.
Singhal – now a BJP MLA following his victory in the 2016 Assam elections – and his social organisation ‘Jana Jagriti’ have all along sniffed a greater Chinese conspiracy of drying up the Brahmaputra. He is renewing his call to the Centre and the people for proper use of the river water. He is telling them that the Brahmaputra, which is the cultural heritage of the Assamese, could be saved only by fully utilizing its water.
Presenting a mix of high tech satellite imageries and cultural iconography, he is trying to convince them the necessity of the construction of dams which have hitherto faced stiff opposition from a section of activists in the state.
“We need to create awareness among people that a conspiracy is going on; that China is planning a number of dams and hydro-power projects and water reservoirs on the Tsangpo and its tributaries and
also the Indus and the Sutlej. If the people are made aware of what China is doing and there is a
public opinion against the projects, there will be social pressure on Beijing,” Singhal told the Sunday
Standard.
For the past seven years, he has been leading a campaign to mobilize public opinions against the
Chinese projects. During the last Assembly session, he spoke at length on the issue to highlight the
threat. He feels that it is his bounden duty to create public awareness on the Chinese conspiracy
against India.
“We should have the first user right. We can properly use the water by building dams for hydro-power
projects and also reservoirs for irrigation,” Singhal pointed out. His Jana Jagriti claims that China
is diverting the Tsangpo water under its “south to north water diversion projects”.
The Brahmaputra enters India via Arunachal Pradesh where it is called Siang. It is joined by Dibang and Lohit rivers at the head of Assam Valley. When it enters Assam, it becomes very wide and is called the Brahmaputra. From Assam, it flows into Bangladesh and gets the name Jamuna. The length of the river in India (Siang included) is over 1000 km.
According to Jana Jagriti, India receives 78.10 BCM water from China through Brahmaputra at its entry point at Gorging village in Arunachal. The receipt of the water during the monsoon months is 56.12 BCM and during the non-monsoon period, it is 21.98 BCM.
The organisation claims that China is working on 26 power projects. It says once these projects get
commissioned, the flow of Tsangpo water into India will be reduced by 64% during monsoon and 85% during the non-monsoon months.
“Given the Chinese design, the Brahmaputra needs proper care, concern and attention. It is our cultural
heritage and connected with our religious sentiments. We urge the government to take some urgent steps to save the river,” Singhal insisted.