India plans to build big dams over Brahmaputra: Bharti

[Hindustani78]

Assam flood situation improves, five lakh still affected | Zee News

Last Updated: Thursday, September 10, 2015 - 23:43
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said in a statement that 5,16,303 people were affected in 606 villages in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Morigaon, Cachar, Goalpara and Nagaon districts.

One person died due to floods in Barpeta since Wednesday, the ASDMA said.

According to official statistics, 63 people have lost their lives in floods in the state so far this year.

While the Brahmaputra river was flowing above the danger level at Nematighat in Jorhat district and in Dhubri, the Dhansiri river was also flowing above the danger level at Numaligarh in Golaghat district.

Dhubri has the highest number of flood-affected people at 2,40,010, Morigaon has about 1,33,000 people affected by the floods.

A total of 118 relief camps have been set up in nine districts till Thursday, housing 37,679 marooned people.

"The flood situation has improved in the last few days due to lack of rain. Rivers, which were in spate, are showing a receding trend, and people in relief camps have started going back to their houses," said ASDMA chief executive officer P.K. Tiwary.

Floods have also affected national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, including the Kaziranga National Park.

Nearly 90 percent of the park area still remains under water, an official said, but added that waters have started receding since the last few days.

The first wave of floods hit the state in April, affecting over 17 lakh people in 21 districts.

IANS

 

[Hindustani78]

Flash floods in Guwahati after heavy rains | Zee News

Guwahati: Large areas of Guwahati were waterlogged by flash floods following heavy rains that disrupted normal life and also caused a landslide near Kamakhya temple atop Nilachal Hill here on Wednesday.


Incessant heavy downpour since the last two days caused knee to waist deep waterlogging in the capital city's Anil Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Lakhimini Nagar, Panjabari, Rajgarh, Bhetapara, Jorabat, R G Baruah Road area, Gorchuk, Birubari, Gandhibasti, Kotahbari among other areas, a police official said.

Water has entered the houses in those areas and the locals there complained that there was no drinking water and they have not received any relief material from the district administration.

Students, office goers and others had difficulty in reaching their destinations wading through the water that prevented movement of vehicles.

The MeT office recorded 7 cm rainfall in the city today.

The police official said a huge rock rolled down the Nilachal hill and broke into pieces blocking the road from the Shakti peeth Kamakhya Temple to Bhubaneswari Temple above it, halting movement of traffic between the two holy places.

There was no report of any injury to people or damage caused to vehicles due to the landslide.

Efforts were on to remove the rock pieces to clear the road for movement of traffic, the sources added.

Due to the incessant rainfall, the Bharalu river inside the city was rising alarmingly threatening to overflow its banks to submerge more areas, they said.

Water coming down from neighbouring Meghalaya hills was also causing waterlogging in adjoining Kamrup district with Boko and Chaygaon adversely affected.

The plying of all kinds of boats, including mechanised and manual, on river Brahmaputra here has been temporarily suspended by the authorities with immediate effect to prevent accidents due to the sudden increase in its water.

Meanwhile, the MeT office today predicted mainly cloudy sky. Moderate to rather heavy rain /thundershower will occur with heavy rain in some areas for next two days.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

China operationalises biggest dam on Brahmaputra in Tibet
Beijing, Oct 13 , 2015,PTI)
China today operationalised the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet, built on the Brahmaputra river, which has raised concerns in India over the likelihood of disrupting water supplies.
All six of the station's units were incorporated into the power grid on Tuesday, the China Gezhouba Group, a major hydropower contractor based in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province in central China told state-run Xinhua news agency.

Located in the Gyaca County, Shannan Prefecture, the Zam Hydropower Station also known as Zangmu Hydropower Station, harnesses the rich water resources of Brahmaputra known in Tibet as Yarlung Zangbo River, a major river which flows through Tibet into India and later into Bangladesh.

The dam considered to be the world's highest-altitude hydropower station and the largest of its kind will produce produces 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year.
"It will alleviate the electricity shortage in central Tibet and empower the development of the electricity-strapped region. It is also an important energy base in central Tibet," the company said.

Officials said when the electricity is ample in the summer season, part of the electricity will be transmitted to the neighbouring Qinghai province, Xinhua report said.
Investment of the hydropower station, about 140 kilometers from Tibetan capital Lhasa, totalled 9.6 billion yuan (about USD 1.5 billion).

The first unit began operations last November. Reports in the past said besides Zangmu, China is reportedly building few more dams. China seeks to ally Indian fears saying that they are the run-of-the-river projects which were not designed to hold water.

The dams also raised concerns in India over China's ability to release water in times of conflict which could pose serious risk of flooding.

An Indian Inter-Ministerial Expert Group (IMEG) on the Brahmaputra in 2013 said the dams were being built on the upper reaches and called for further monitoring considering their impact on the flow of waters to the lower reaches.

The IMEG noted that the three dams, Jiexu, Zangmu and Jiacha are within 25 kms of each other and are 550 kms from the Indian border.

India has been taking up the issue with China for the past few years the two countries reached.

Under the understanding reached in 2013, Chinese side agreed to provide more flood data of Brahmaputra from May to October instead of June to October in the previous agreements river water agreements in 2008 and 2010.

India is concerned that if the waters are diverted, then projects on the Brahmaputra, particularly the Upper Siang and Lower Suhansri projects in Arunachal Pradesh, may get affected.

 

[tranquilium]

Good. We need to divert the whole river towards Indian heartland.

Erm, I checked the map. Brahmaputra River is on the east side of Bangladesh. It already flow through that part of India.

 

[Roybot]

Erm, I checked the map. Brahmaputra River is on the east side of Bangladesh. It already flow through that part of India.

Even though it was just a troll post, he meant diverting the water to the Indian "Mainland". Brahmaputra runs through Indian North Eastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh before entering Bangladesh and draining into the Bay of Bengal.

 

[tranquilium]

Even though it was just a troll post, he meant diverting the water to the Indian "Mainland". Brahmaputra runs through Indian North Eastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh before entering Bangladesh and draining into the Bay of Bengal.

That would require the river to flow from a lower elevation to a high elevation, hence the surprise.

 

[Hindustani78]

Gogoi concerned over Chinese dam on Brahmaputra - The Hindu

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said the reported move by China operationalising a hydropower station on the Brahmaputra River will cause irreparable damage to Assam and other parts of the Brahmaputra basin.

In a statement, Mr. Gogoi said the State government has all along been taking up the issue with the Centre on the reported move of China building dams on the Brahmaputra since long.

Mr. Gogoi had also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the matter with the Chinese President during his last visit to China.

“I have pleaded the Prime Minister to take up the issue with the President of China during his visit to that country. However, I have serious doubts whether he took up the matter at all,” Mr. Gogoi maintained.

Mr. Gogoi observed “It is an utter failure at the highest diplomatic level to prevail upon China not to go ahead with the construction plan. What purpose will it serve if the bonhomie and camaraderie generated by talks could not be translated into concrete actions vis a vis protecting India’s interests?”

 

[Hindustani78]

Monitoring China's biggest hydropower plant in Tibet, says India | Zee News
Last Updated: Thursday, October 15, 2015 - 22:51


New Delhi: As China completed the biggest hydropower plant in Tibet, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday said India is monitoring the situation and may convey its concerns to Beijing.

China has constructed Zangmu hydropower facility in Tibet, the largest so far to be built in the region, the company in-charge of building the project said on Tuesday.

The project on the Yarlung Zangbo river, the upstream section of the trans-boundary Brahmaputra, is located around 140 kilometres from Lhasa and cost 1.52 billion dollar, said Gezhouba Group, one of China's biggest state dam builders, on its website.

Playing down the development, Swarup said China had provided useful hydrological data on the Brahmaputra River to New Delhi.

"China, as you know, has been sharing hydrological data on the Brahmaputra River with us which has been found to be very useful. China has repeatedly assured us that they have no intention of diverting the waters of the river and that any projects that are coming up, including this one, are run of the river projects. So that is where we are and we will continue to monitor the situation and if we feel that our concerns need to convey to Chinese side, we will certainly do so," said Swarup.


The 2,900-km Brahmaputra flows southeast from Tibet through the Himalayas into Arunachal Pradesh before entering Bangladesh and merging with the lower section of the Ganges, when it empties into the Bay of Bengal.

ANI


First Published: Thursday, October 15, 2015 - 22:51

 

[Hindustani78]

http://usiofindia.org/Article/Print/?ano=910&pub=Journal&pubno=588
There have been talks between India and China on various facets like maritime and strategic defence dialogue, border issues etc to smoothen out the rough spots. Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), the highest river in the world, is a watercourse that originates at Tamlung Tso Lake in western Tibet, southeast of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. It later forms Tibet Valley and Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, before entering India North of Tuting in Arunachal .
However, there is evidence and concern on receding water level in the river near Pasighat town and that it almost dried up.

Tako Dabi, political adviser to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, expressed apprehension that it could either be due to diversion of the course of the river or an artificial blockade as a result of dam building activity of China over Brahmaputra river. Water level in the Siang, as noted on 09 June 2000, suddenly rose by 30 metres and inundated almost the entire township causing widespread destruction to property besides claiming seven lives following the collapse of a hydropower dam in Tibet, according to Dabi. Video footage from the scene shows the Siang, which is several kilometres wide at Pasighat, said Dabi — reduced to flowing in several narrow channels in the large sandy riverbed.

The Tibetan plateau happens to be the largest water reservoir in the world. All the 10 major river systems of Asia including the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween and Mekong originate in the Tibetan plateau. It constitutes the lifeline of the world’s nearly two billion (29 per cent) people living in South Asia; from Afghanistan to the Ganga-Meghna-Brahmaputra basin, and in Southeast Asia.

Any diversion of waters from Nepalese rivers originating in Tibet would directly affect the flow of water of the Ganga, the soul of the people living in the Indian subcontinent including in Nepal. The holy river Ganga desperately needs fresh water from its tributaries. Nepal alone accounts for 46 per cent of the flow in the Ganga and its contribution grows to 71 per cent during the lean season.

China has already built a barrage on the Sutlej River. Since November 2010, it has started construction work for damming / diversion of the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) in Tibet.

Apart from the diversion project on the Brahmaputra River, China also plans to construct fifteen dams along the Lancang (Mekong) River. In addition, China plans to tap the waters of most of the big rivers flowing from the Tibetan plateau.

the dam is being constructed at a place called Namcha Barwa on the eastern plateau of Tibet. It is at this point in Tibet that China is reportedly building the world’s largest dam, with 26 turbines, expected to generate 40 million kwh of hydroelectricity. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that the Zangmu hydroelectrical project was inaugurated on 16 March 2009 and the first concrete was poured on 02 April 2009.


The last time India officially heard about the diversion of the Brahmaputra was in November 2006 when President Hu Jintao was to visit India. China had decided to assuage the legitimate worries of the Indian government.

Indian Concerns of Brahmaputra’s Receding Waters

River Brahmaputra is very important for both India and Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra River Basin in India is most generously gifted with a fabulous water wealth that accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the total water resources and about 40 per cent of the total hydropower potential of the Country.

However, the Chinese government had in 2006 categorically dismissed claims that Beijing had plans to divert the Brahmaputra River that flows from Tibet into India. China’s Minister for Water Resources, Wang Shucheng, then said the proposal was “unnecessary, unfeasible and unscientific,” and had no Government backing. Wang’s comments appeared to be part of an official effort to quell Indian fears that China had designs on the river water. However, this would also ensure that lower riparian countries like India and Bangladesh would be at China’s mercy during the dry spell and for protection from floods during the rainy season.

Several organisations in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have aired grave concern over the reported move by China to construct a dam on the main channel of Brahmaputra in the upper reaches of Tibet, to generate electricity. This move is bound to jeopardise the flow of the Brahmaputra, the lifeline of the Assam valley. Experts have raised fears that the construction of the dam may trigger devastating floods in Assam during the rainy season and dry up the river in winter.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Water Resources
04-March, 2017 15:14 IST
Work on Shahpur Kandi Dam to Resume Soon Punjab and J&K sign agreement to this effect


In a major step today towards utilization of India’s rights on Eastern rivers of Indus basin, the mediation efforts of Ministry of Water Resources , RD&GR persuaded the States of J&K and Punjab to reach an agreement to resume works on Shahpur Kandi Dam project in Pujab/ J&K. The agreement to this effect was signed by Shri KS Pannu,Secretary (Irrigation),Punjab and Shri Saurabh Bhagat, Secretary ( Irrigation),J&K in the presence of Union Water Resources Secretary Dr.Amarjit singh in New Delhi last evening.

The project was being built with an estimated cost of Rs. 2285.81 crore (April, 2008 price level) and is included in the Scheme of National Projects by Government of India. Under the scheme, MoWR,RD&GR provides central assistance @ 90% of the balance cost of works component of irrigation and water supply.

The construction of Shahpur Kandi project was taken up in May 1999 but later halted in 2014 due to dispute between Punjab and J&K. The Ministry of WR,RD&GR had been making all out efforts to resolve the issues and resume construction which resulted in yesterday’s agreement.

The design of the project shall be as already agreed by both the states while concurrently model studies will be done to ensure that the mandated share of 1150 cusecs of water is available to the State of J&K, which will be binding on both the States.

The project will continue to be implemented by the Government of Punjab. However, there will be a tripartite team headed by Member, CWC and consisting of Chief Engineers of two States to monitor the project as and when required but atleast once in three months to ensure that the construction is as per the agreement.

The balance costs on account of compensation for land acquisition in respect of Thein Dam, as per the agreement would be paid for by the Government of Punjab promptly. In addition, jobs to the oustees would be given by the State Government of Punjab as per the agreed R&R policy of both the State Governments.

The Government of Punjab would be making available to the Govt. of J&K 20% share in the total power generated at the Thein Dam at the mutually agreed rate of Rs. 3.50 per unit immediately, subject to the confirmation of the rates by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Both the States agreed that other issues will be referred to Arbitration mechanism provided in the agreement signed between two states of 1979 without affecting the progress of work. It was unanimously agreed that the work on the Shahpur Kandi Dam Project would resume as soon both the State Governments formally approve the agreed decisions.

The 55.5 high Shahpur Kandi dam, located in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, will help in providing irrigation facility to 5000 hectares of land in Punjab and 32173 hectares in J&K besides generation of 206 MW power.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Shipping
16-March, 2017 17:21 IST
Development of Inland Waterways in Assam

River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya was declared as National Waterway-2 (NW-2) in 1988. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for NW-2 was prepared by the HoWE India, Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) and Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited (WAPCOS). The interventions suggested in the DPR for development of fairway were bandalling, river training works and dredging. Besides suitable terminal locations were also identified. Accordingly, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has developed NW-2 for navigational purposes. At present NW-2 is fully operational with targeted depth of 2.5 m between Dhubri and Neamati; 2.0 m between Neamati and Dibrugarh and 1.5 m between Dibrugarh and Sadiya. The waterway has been provided with day and night navigational aids and fixed and floating terminals at various locations.

For dredging in NW-2, IWAI has employed two cutter suction dredger units and two hydraulic surface dredger units in the different stretches of NW-2 as per the requirement for maintenance of Least Available Depth (LAD). Dredging in NW-2 is undertaken, whenever and wherever required, for ensuring smooth navigation of vessels.

An Inland Water Transport (IWT) cum Ro-Ro terminal is being constructed by IWAI at Dhubri. The project envisages direct connectivity with Hatsingimari on the opposite bank of the river Brahmaputra and avoids circuitous route of road connectivity through Jogighopa.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Shipping Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Water Resources
21-March, 2017 18:20 IST
Uma Bharti Calls for Strengthening River Water Co-Operation with Nepal

Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has called for strengthening river water co-operation with Nepal. She stated this while Nepalese Irrigation Minister Shri Deepak Giri called on her in New Delhi today.

Sushri Bharti suggested setting up of Joint Development Authority for Kosi river on the lines of Pancheshwar Development Authority. She said river has an important role in strengthening ties with Nepal. She said “Rivers are for love not for dispute”. Referring to Pancheshwar, Sushri Bharti said that India will extend all help to Nepal for developing its water bodies as an important tourist attraction. The Minister said this will provide good employment and business opportunity to Nepalese citizens.

The Nepalese Minister promised full co-operation from Nepalese side for Indo-Nepal river co-operation. Shri Giri also extended an invitation to Sushri Bharti to visit Nepal.


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The Irrigation Minister of Nepal, Shri Deepak Giri calling on the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Sushri Uma Bharti, in New Delhi on March 21, 2017.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and the Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N. Biren Singh witnessing the signing of the Tripartite Agreement between IWAI, NHAI and Department of Transport, Assam for dredging of Brahmaputra and National Waterway in Assam, at Guwahati on April 04, 2017.

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari addressing at the closing ceremony of Namami Brahmaputra festival, in Guwahati on April 04, 2017.

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari addressing at the closing ceremony of Namami Brahmaputra festival, in Guwahati on April 04, 2017. The Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and other dignitaries are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

Written by Samudra Gupta Kashyap | Guwahati | Updated: April 12, 2017 8:03 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being greeted by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday.PTI Photo

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...brahmaputra-in-may-dhola-with-sadiya-4610676/


Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital and invited him to the state to formally inaugurate the fourth bridge on the Brahmaputra – a 9.15-km bridge that will become the longest bridge in Asia. The bridge inauguration is slated for sometime in May.

Extending the invitation to Modi to inaugurate the bridge, chief minister Sonowal said Asia’s longest bridge that would connect Dhola with Sadiya in upper Assam – would help bring about a major transformation in surface communication in the region, an official press release issued by the CMO here said.

While Sonowal also invited Modi to also inaugurate a global investors’ summit in Guwahati in November, the CMO press release said, “The Prime Minister said he would try to make his presence felt in both the upcoming programmes.” The BJP-led Sonowal government has scheduled a two-day first-ever global investors’ summit called ‘Advantage Assam: Gateway to ASEAN’ on November 9 and 10 in Guwahati, which will be followed by a ‘Pravasi Asamiya Divas’ the next day.

Sonowal also apprised the prime minister about the steps initiated by his government to attract industrial investment. “A number of official procedures have been simplified to attract investments that include the passing of Ease of Doing Business Bill and revival of the North-East Industrial & Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP) and IPP with your blessings leading to investments of around Rs 6,000 crore till March 2017,” Sonowal told the PM.

He also informed the prime minister that the state government intended to make Assam a manufacturing hub in the region and Guwahati a business hub for trade with South East Asia and the ASEAN markets as part of Government of India’s Act East Policy.

Sonowal also requested the prime minister for taking steps to completely seal the Indo-Bangladesh border expeditiously in order to stop influx once and for all, the statement said. “In this context, the prime minister pointed out that sealing of the international border is one of the top priorities of the central government and that he would instruct the ministry of home affairs to take up the matter on a war footing,” it said.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...a-tributary/story-yFTiGwitKy3xHKaVhamLqO.html

Protests greeted Luo Zhaohui, China’s ambassador to India, when he visited a Chinese war cemetery in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district on Saturday.

Luo, on a two-day official visit to Assam, was accompanied by his wife, a Xinhua reporter and five members of the Chinese mission in Delhi.

Officials in Tinsukia district said local organisations staged silent protests as Luo and his team visited the World War II cemetery at Lekhapani.

“As the diplomatic team was offering prayers in memory of Chinese soldiers buried in the cemetery, members of some NGOs protested the construction of big dams (on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in China),” Tinsukia superintendent of police, Mugdhajyoti Mahanta said.

Yarlung Tsangpo is one of three rivers that form the Brahmaputra in Assam.

Mahanta said the team would leave for Delhi from Dibrugarh on Sunday after spending the night in Tinsukia.

Chinese general Chiang Kai-shek had during 1942-45 placed many of his soldiers under American General Joseph Stilwell who oversaw the carving out of a 1,736 km road from Ledo in Assam to Kunming in Yunnan province of China.

The road, used only once during the war, was built to transport supplies and reinforcements to China for battling the Japanese army.

A Guwahati-based NGO had earlier alleged that the Chinese diplomats had planned the tour on the advice of Paresh Baruah, the elusive military chief of United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent believed to be operating from the China-Myanmar border

The motive of the team was to study the Brahmaputra following Delhi’s decision to dredge the 841km-stretch of the river across Assam.