India plans to build big dams over Brahmaputra: Bharti

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Water Resources
30-August, 2017 13:21 IST
CWC signes MoUS with NIT Calicut and NIT Rourkela to support capacity building in Dam Safety Areas

Central Water Commission (CWC) has signed MoUs with NIT Calicut and NIT Rourkela to support dam rehabilitation efforts of various implementing agencies and CWC.

Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has taken on board selected premier academic and research institutes, for capacity building in the areas of dam safety through World Bank assisted Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).The scope includes strengthening the testing laboratories, enhancing analytical capabilities, exposure visits to best global institutions and on ground exposure to dam safety concerns to the faculty of these institutions. CWC had signed MoUs with IIT Madras and IISc Bengaluru in January 2017 and Ministry is supporting these institutes for the procurement of specified equipment and software for enhancing their testing and modeling capabilities.

DRIP is assisting rehabilitation of 225 dams in seven States which are experiencing different levels of distress. Owners of these dams require technical support for the investigation of dam conditions and supporting rehabilitation efforts. The Government of India has decided to enhance the capability of selected premier academic institutes in dam safety areas so that they, in turn, carry out field investigations and material testing, and provide training and consulting services to the dam owners in their dam rehabilitation efforts.

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Water Resources
31-August, 2017 14:44 IST
Workshop on implementation of Emergency Action Plan for Dams held

With the purpose of increasing awareness about dam safety measures in the country and finalisation of Emergency Action Plan (EAP) a stakeholders consultation Workshop was organised by Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department in collaboration with Central Water Commission was held recently at Krishnagiri dam site, district Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu. Over 150 delegates representing the stakeholders involved with relief and rescue operations and representatives from National Disaster Management Authority, State Disaster Management Authority, India Meteorological Department, State Health, Fire, Police, Revenue and Road Departments and Railways participated in the Workshop.

Shri NK Mathur, Member, Central Water Commission presided over the Workshop and highlighted the need for the preparation of EAP for each dam and involvement of all agencies in ensuring effective relief and rescue operations. The brief backgrounds of few of the national as well as international dam disasters were also discussed, along with step by step process for evolving a sound and bankable EAP document.

India ranks third globally with 5254 large dams in operation and 447 large dams under construction. About 4% of these large dams (209) are over 100 years old and about 17% (876 dams) are more than 50 years old. Many of these dams are facing varying degrees of inadequacies in meeting the current standards of dam health and safety due to various reasons. The ongoing Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) under the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is facilitating the rehabilitation of about 198 large dam projects in seven States, in addition to the institutional strengthening of the implementing agencies for sustainable dam safety initiatives.

Even though our dams are quite safe, in the rare event of a dam failure, extensive damage to property, environment and sometimes loss of life occurs. Managing the exigencies caused by a failure of a dam requires coordinated efforts of all national and States agencies. The preparation of Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for all DRIP dams is one of the important activities under DRIP. This document defines clear roles for all concern agencies as well as Standard Operating Protocols during various stage of exigencies, as well as contains all technical details about the flood waves moving downstream affecting the downstream habitation.

Samir/jk
(Release ID :170394)

 

[Hindustani78]

‘It will drive away 31,000 poor families from their homes’
Opposing construction of big dams in the Himalayan region, Congress MP Pradeep Tamta on Saturday said his party will launch an agitation against the proposed Pancheswar dam, saying it would drive away more than 31,000 poor families from their homes.

“While the world is decommissioning big dams, Indian government is promoting these. Besides decommissioning some big dams Europe and USA have not constructed even a single big dam in the last 20 years,” the Congress Rajya Sabha MP claimed.

Nepal which too has stakes in the Pancheshwar dam is yet to be approve the DPR (Detailed Project Report), he said.

Traditional habitation

“The tendency to construct big dams in the Himalayan region not only deprives hill villages of their cultivable land and traditional habitation but also makes the region more susceptible to earthquakes and landslides which cause loss of lives and property,” Mr. Tamta said.

Mr. Tamta said that in its DPR on the proposed project, the WAPCOS (Public Sector Enterprise under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Water Resources) has said the compensation package will be given to only 1,306 families.

“Congress asks the State Government where would the rest of the 29,500 families go? It is clear that these families will be given meagre compensation in the name of rehabilitation, which we will raise before the people,” said Mr. Tamta.

Other regions

According to the Congress MP, the history of big dams in hill region indicates that these constructions give prosperity to other regions at the price of destruction of hill regions.

 

[SingaporeGuy]

http://m.timesofindia.com/world/chi...rahmaputra-tributary/articleshow/54635283.cms

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/632779/china-not-share-brahmaputra-data.html

Press Trust of India, Chennai, Sep 12 2017, 16:53 IST

The data share by upper riparian state, China, to lower riparian states, India and Bangladesh is essential every monsoon to allow anticipation of the flow of the water and take necessary measures to deal with flooding in India's northeastern states. Representational Image. Photo credit: PTI.

China today said that it cannot share with India the hydrological data of the Brahmaputra river for the time being as the data collection station in Tibet is being upgraded.

China, however, said it is ready to "keep communication" with India to reopen the Nathu La pass in Sikkim for the Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet, which it had suspended in mid June over the Doklam standoff.

"For long time we have conducted cooperation on the river data with the Indian side. But to upgrade and renovate the relevant station in the Chinese side, we do not have the conditions now to collect the relevant statistics of the river," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media here.

Asked when will China provide the data, which was reportedly suspended due to the Doklam standoff, he said, "We will later consider that."

Asked whether India has been informed about not sharing of the hydrological data, he said according to his information the Indian side is aware of it.

On August 18, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar had said there is an existing expert-level mechanism, established in 2006, and there are two MoUs under which China is expected to share hydrological data on rivers Sutlej and Brahmaputra with India during the flood season of May 15 to June 15.

"For this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side," Kumar had said.

The data share by upper riparian state, China, to lower riparian states, India and Bangladesh is essential every monsoon to allow anticipation of the flow of the water and take necessary measures to deal with flooding in India's northeastern states.

On the reopening of the Nathu La Pass for the Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet which was suspended over the Doklam standoff, Geng said China is ready to "keep communication" with the India.

"For a long China has made efforts against all odds to provide necessary convenience to the Indian pilgrims. According to the agreement reached between the two leaders and based on the fact that the western section of the India-China boundary has been recognised by the two sides, China opened the pass to the Indian pilgrims," he said, replying to a question when China will open the route to the Indian pilgrims as the Doklam standoff has been resolved.

The foreign ministry spokesman said the opening of the Nathu La pass was suspended as the Indian troops "illegally crossed the border leading to the tensions at the border".

"The Indian troops illegally crossed the border leading to the tensions at the border. So the opening of the pass was suspended," he said.

"So China stands ready to keep communication with the Indian side in regard to the opening of the pass and other issues relating to the pilgrims," he said.

The Sikkim route to Mansarovar was opened in 2015, enabling pilgrims to travel the 1500-km long route from Nathu La to Kailash by buses.

The Yatra was being organised by External Affairs Ministry since 1981 through Lipu Pass in Himalays connecting the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in India with the old trading town of Taklakot in Tibet.

 

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/632779/china-not-share-brahmaputra-data.html

Press Trust of India, Chennai, Sep 12 2017, 16:53 IST

The data share by upper riparian state, China, to lower riparian states, India and Bangladesh is essential every monsoon to allow anticipation of the flow of the water and take necessary measures to deal with flooding in India's northeastern states. Representational Image. Photo credit: PTI.

China today said that it cannot share with India the hydrological data of the Brahmaputra river for the time being as the data collection station in Tibet is being upgraded.

China, however, said it is ready to "keep communication" with India to reopen the Nathu La pass in Sikkim for the Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet, which it had suspended in mid June over the Doklam standoff.

"For long time we have conducted cooperation on the river data with the Indian side. But to upgrade and renovate the relevant station in the Chinese side, we do not have the conditions now to collect the relevant statistics of the river," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media here.

Asked when will China provide the data, which was reportedly suspended due to the Doklam standoff, he said, "We will later consider that."

Asked whether India has been informed about not sharing of the hydrological data, he said according to his information the Indian side is aware of it.

On August 18, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar had said there is an existing expert-level mechanism, established in 2006, and there are two MoUs under which China is expected to share hydrological data on rivers Sutlej and Brahmaputra with India during the flood season of May 15 to June 15.

"For this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side," Kumar had said.

The data share by upper riparian state, China, to lower riparian states, India and Bangladesh is essential every monsoon to allow anticipation of the flow of the water and take necessary measures to deal with flooding in India's northeastern states.

On the reopening of the Nathu La Pass for the Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet which was suspended over the Doklam standoff, Geng said China is ready to "keep communication" with the India.

"For a long China has made efforts against all odds to provide necessary convenience to the Indian pilgrims. According to the agreement reached between the two leaders and based on the fact that the western section of the India-China boundary has been recognised by the two sides, China opened the pass to the Indian pilgrims," he said, replying to a question when China will open the route to the Indian pilgrims as the Doklam standoff has been resolved.

The foreign ministry spokesman said the opening of the Nathu La pass was suspended as the Indian troops "illegally crossed the border leading to the tensions at the border".

"The Indian troops illegally crossed the border leading to the tensions at the border. So the opening of the pass was suspended," he said.

"So China stands ready to keep communication with the Indian side in regard to the opening of the pass and other issues relating to the pilgrims," he said.

The Sikkim route to Mansarovar was opened in 2015, enabling pilgrims to travel the 1500-km long route from Nathu La to Kailash by buses.

The Yatra was being organised by External Affairs Ministry since 1981 through Lipu Pass in Himalays connecting the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in India with the old trading town of Taklakot in Tibet.

ya thanks.

by posting this, u reiterated that china do not need even a single bullet to send helpless Indians into dhotti shivering mode.

 

[Hindustani78]

The first laboratory under the Bramhaputra Biodiversity Biology Boat (B4) initiative will cover Pasighat, Dibrugarh, Neemati, Tejpur and Guwahati in Assam.
india Updated: Sep 20, 2017 22:56 IST
Press Trust of India, New Delhi

The nearly 3,800 kms long river, one of the longest in the world, traverses three countries to empty itself in the Bay of Bengal.(Reuters File Photo)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...putra-river/story-9Vv6yrr5MyP9Qcnqcw68FK.html


A new project of the Department of Biotechnology aims at starting a ‘lab on boat’ on Bramhaputra river for biological analysis of the river system.

The ambitious project also proposes to have multiple mobile laboratories on the river and its tributaries along with providing access to local research institutions, officials said.

The first laboratory under the Bramhaputra Biodiversity Biology Boat (B4) initiative will cover Pasighat, Dibrugarh, Neemati, Tejpur and Guwahati in Assam.

“B4 will establish a large barge on the river with a well-equipped laboratory for the analysis of all components of the entire ecosystem of the river and its surroundings,” Department of Biotechnology secretary K Vijay Raghavan said.

The nearly 3,800 kms long river, one of the longest in the world, traverses three countries to empty itself in the Bay of Bengal.

Union Science and Technology minister Harsh Vardhan said the project is expected to commence by the year-end.

Anchored by IIT-Guwahati, the project is also supported by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

The minister said although institutes under the Ministry of Science and Technology have several research vessels, it will be for the first time the ministry will have a dedicated boat/ barge for the research of a river.

Vardhan also announced the projects of -- Phyto-Pharma Plants Mission and Frugal Microscopy -- for the north-east region, to be carried out by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

The Rs 50 crore Phyto-Pharma Plants Mission programme will promote cultivation and conservation in the north-eastern states.

Under the Foldscopes programme, the DBT will supply frugal paper microscopes costing less than Rs 70 to schools and colleges in the north-east, officials said.

The Department of Biotechnology has received 525 applications from schools, colleges and citizen scientists seeking foldscopes, they said.

“The prime minister’s thrust has been on the north-east region. The DBT has committed to dedicate 10 per cent of its budget for the north-east,” Vardhan added.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Water Resources
03-October, 2017 12:53 IST
CWC sign MoU with IIT Roorkee and MNNIT Allahabad to support capacity building in dam safety areas under dam rehabilitation and improvement project

Central Water Commission (CWC) has signed MoUs with IIT Roorkee and MNNIT Allahabad to support dam rehabilitation efforts of various implementing agencies and CWC.

Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has taken on board selected premier academic and research institutes, for capacity building in the areas of dam safety through World Bank assisted Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).The scope includes strengthening the testing laboratories, enhancing analytical capabilities, exposure visits to best global institutions and on ground exposure to dam safety concerns to the faculty of these institutions.

CWC has already signed MoUs with IIT Madras, IISc Bangaluru, NIT Calicut and NIT Raurkela for supporting these institutes for the procurement of specified equipment and software for enhancing their testing and modeling capabilities. Last month, CWC facilitated the signing of MoUs by Madhya Pradesh Water Resources Department (MPWRD) and UJVN Limited (UJVNL), Uttarakhand with the Earthquake Engineering Department of IIT Roorkee for assisting MPWRD and UJVNL in the activities related to establishment of seismic instruments, certification of these installations, generation of post seismic event report having an intensity greater than 4.0 on Richter Scale and sharing of these reports with State and Central Agencies, data collection, processing, monitoring, analysis, interpretation, integration of the State Dam Seismological Network (SDSN) with Indian Dam Seismological Network (IDSN) being maintained by National Agencies to exchange the information and help to strengthen the existing seismological network for a strong national perspective plan, and conducting training programmes for the dam owning personnel.

DRIP is assisting rehabilitation of 225 dams in seven States which are experiencing different levels of distress. Owners of these dams require technical support for the investigation of dam conditions and supporting rehabilitation efforts. The Government of India has decided to enhance the capability of selected premier academic institutes in dam safety areas so that they, in turn, carry out field investigations and material testing, and provide training and consulting services to the dam owners in their dam rehabilitation efforts. In addition to rehabilitation of dams, Project also has component of institutional strengthening wherein capacity building of all partners agencies as well as few selected premier academic institutions of country are being strengthened in dam safety areas by imparting trainings to operational efficiencies of these owner agencies, exposure visits to best global institutions and on ground exposure to the dam safety concerns to the faculty of these institutions. It is a holistic effort of the Government of India to equip our national institutions to develop capability and expertise at par with global institutions in the coming times to ensure self-reliance.

 

[Hindustani78]

Prime Minister's Office
08-October, 2017 16:13 IST
PM lays Foundation Stone of Barrage over Narmada, addresses public meeting at Bharuch

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of Foundation Stone of Bhadbhut Barrage over the River Narmada. At a public meeting in Bharuch, the Prime Minister also flagged off the Antyodaya Express between Udhna (Surat, Gujarat) and Jaynagar (Bihar). He also unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of Foundation Stone, and Inauguration of various plants of Gujarat Narmada Fertilizer Corporation Ltd.

Addressing the public meeting, the Prime Minister said that the Antyodaya Express is a commendable initiative, which connects people and particularly helps those who are from Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, and work far from their home. He said the train will make it easier for people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to go home for Chhath Puja.

Neem coating of urea helped farmers and stopped corruption as well as theft, the Prime Minister said.

Shri Narendra Modi said that Gujarat's strides in animal husbandry have helped farmers. He said that he had asked the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, to send a team to Gujarat and study the Pashu Arogya Melas. He added that a similar Mela had been organised recently in Varanasi, which the Prime Minister had an opportunity to visit.

***

 

[Hindustani78]

“There is lurking danger of several of our small tribal communities getting wiped out from the face of the earth. Once uprooted, our culture, or language, our heritage will be all lost simply because some people elsewhere require electricity," Tasik Pangkam, general secretary of the SIFF asked.

Written by Samudra Gupta Kashyap | Guwahati | Published:October 17, 2017 8:35 pm

Pangkam said the proposed single multi-purpose dam project that would replace the proposed Siang I and Siang II hydel projects would not only submerge villages and displace the tribals, but also “wipe out” a civilization. (Photo: Wikipedia Commons)


http://indianexpress.com/article/in...10000-mw-hydro-electric-dam-on-siang-4895418/

Three weeks after NITI Aayog had come out with a proposal to construct a single multi-purpose river valley project on the Siang river in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) has opposed it and asked the government to stop it in the larger interest of the tribal communities of the area.


“While we have been opposing the earlier proposed Siang Stage I and Siang Stage II hydel projects on the ground that those would displace hundreds of indigenous tribal families in the larger Siang region, the NITI Aayog is now bent upon wiping us out in the interest of producing power for people of other regions of the country. Our communities are small, and thus don’t appear to be important for the government and the NITI Aayog,” Tasik Pangkam, general secretary of the SIFF said here on Tuesday.


Pangkam said the proposed single multi-purpose dam project that would replace the proposed Siang I and Siang II hydel projects would not only submerge villages and displace the tribals, but also “wipe out” a civilization.


“There is lurking danger of several of our small tribal communities getting wiped out from the face of the earth. Once uprooted, our culture, or language, our heritage will be all lost simply because some people elsewhere require electricity. Can this be justified,” Pangkam asked at a press conference. He said several towns including Gelling, Tuting, Yingkiong and Geku would also get submerged once the dam was constructed.


The NITI Aayog had on September 26 made a presentation before Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu and several of his senior cabinet colleagues in New Delhi on the Siang single multi-purpose river valley project which would replace the earlier proposed Siang Stage I and Stage II projects. To be constructed at the proposed Siang Stage II location as a single storage project instead of two separate projects as earlier scheduled, it would submerge over 300 tribal villages and produce 10,000 MW of hydro-electric power.


“No amount of compensation in terms of money, land and housing can help us preserve our history, folklore, music and culture. Humanity will lose our rich heritage forever. And above all, the very character of the Siang, which becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam, will be changed,” Pangkam said. The Siang, which originates in western Tibet as the Tsang Po, is called Brahmaputra in Assam, Jamuna in Bangladesh and finally Padma as it meets the Ganga (also in Bangladesh) to meet the sea at the Bay of Bengal.


Opposition to the Siang single multi-purpose river valley project comes at a time when the construction work on the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri hydro-electric dam project has remained closed since December 2011 amid protests in downstream Assam.


Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu had last month said that opposition to hydro-electric projects in his state were fueled by narrow vested political interests and hence required adequate awareness programmes to dispel the fears. People in his state often fall prey to misinformation and thus carry a lot of negative notions about large dams, Khandu had said.

 

[Hindustani78]

//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/61158161.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
NEW DELHI: Rivers could emerge as the next irritant in Indo-China ties after the recent Dokalam crisis, with Beijing missing its date with sharing hydrological data on transboundary rivers Brahmaputra and Sutl

The two nations have a bilateral arrangement under which China is required to share data on water level, discharge and rainfall recorded at its monitoring stations along these rivers—which originate in China and flow into India-—between May 15 and October 15 every year.


This helps India forecast floods and make necessary arrangements to tackle rise in water level during monsoon, officials here told ET, adding that the Chinese government has failed to share information this year during the stipulated five-month period. Officials said they were expecting China to start sharing data on the rivers after the Dokalam crisis was resolved, but there’s no indication of any such move. Earlier, there were fears that Beijing may be working on diverting water from the Brahmaputra to the drier regions in the country’s west.

In August during the Dokalam crisis, New Delhi had pointed out that Beijing has not shared hydrological data this year. Earlier the same month, Geng Shuang, a spokesperson in China’s foreign ministry, had told reporters in Beijing that the river data collection stations in the Tibet Autonomous Region had been damaged by floods and needed repairs. Since the stations were not in a position to collect data on Yaluzangbu and Langqen Zangbo (rivers Brahmaputra and Sutlej in the upper reaches, respectively), Beijing could not share data with New Delhi, Shaung had claimed.

But a cautious New Delhi is not convinced, especially as Bangladesh officials have confirmed that China has shared hydrological data on river Brahmaputra. This year, a swollen Brahmaputra has wreaked havoc in Assam in four waves, killing over 160 people and displacing a large number in 29 districts of the state.Across the country in Punjab, over 10,000 acres of farm land were inundated by the waters of the Sutlej.

Delhi and Beijing first inked an MoU for sharing hydrological data on Brahmaputra in 2002. The MoU entailed sharing hydrological information—water level, discharge and rainfall—recorded at three stations, namely Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra in Tibet Autonomous Region from June 1to October 15 every year.

India’s Central Water Commission (CWC) uses this data for its flood forecasts. The MoU was renewed in 2008 and 2013. A separate MoU on ‘strengthening cooperation on transborder rivers’ was inked on October 23, 2013.


This requires China to share data with India from May 15 (instead of June 15 as agreed upon earlier) till October 15 every year, beginning with 2014. India also has an arrangement with China since 2005 to receive hydrological data recorded at the Tsada Station on the upper reaches of Langqen Zangbo (Sutlej) in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The 1,700 km-long Yaluzangbu, or Yarlung Tsangpo, originates from the Jima Yangzong glacier near Mount Kailash in Tibet Autonomous Region and flows into Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as Siang and Dihang, and then into Assam as Brahmaputra.

It later flows into Bangladesh. Sutlej originates from Lake Rakshashtal in Tibet and flows through Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana before flowing into Pakistan.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
22-October, 2017 18:28 IST
18TH Day of Nationwide Paryatan Parv Celebrations

On day eighteen of the Paryatan Parv, various programmes have been organized in the State of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram. Guided Heritage Walk ‘Knowing the Brahmaputra River’ was organized by India Tourism Guwahati in association with Assam Tourism, INTACH and Tour Operators Association of Assam. A Cultural Evening,Quiz / Essay / Painting Competitions, Sensitisation Programmes for Stakeholders, Tourism Exhibition have been organized by India Tourism Guwahati in association with the State Government of Meghalaya and North East Tourism Development Council at Shillong.District Level Sports Tournament amongst Youth Clubs organized by NYKS at Bungtlawng, Mizoram. Ministry of DONER in association with State Government of Manipur has organised Imphal Evening.


The State Government of Bihar has organised several programmes such as Cultural evening showcasing the Cultural & Heritage of Bihar, Cleanliness Awareness Programmes at Tourist Sites, Painting Competitions on tourism related themes, Quiz Programmes at Pawapuri and Nalanda.


The State Government of Uttarakhand has organised Aerosports activities at Pithoragarh, The State Government of Madhya Pradesh has organised Children’s theatre, group singing and painting competition on flora & fauna at Pench National Park, Essay & Painting Competitions were organised at Ernakulam District by the State Government of Kerala.


In Delhi a ‘Sunday Art Hatt’ was organised by Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi Tourism has organised Cultural Programme at Dilli Haat- INA, India Tourism Delhi has organised various programmes like Yoga Session at Humayun’s Tomb, Heritage Walk at Mehrauli Archaeological Park and Hauz Khas & Siri Fort.


IHM Gwalior has organisedExcursion Trip for students to Mitawali and Padawali, Run for Incredible India, Tourist Awareness Programme on Swachhta was organised by IITTM, Nellore, Quiz competitions were organised by IHM & IITTM in Chennai,Essay & Quiz Competitions were organised by IHM, NITHM and City College, Hyderabad.

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

The Chinese scientists have suggested to the government that the Brahmaputra be drained in southern Tibet, close to the Indian border, and the water diverted to Xinjiang.
world Updated: Oct 30, 2017 19:47 IST

Sutirtho Patranobis
Hindustan Times, Beijing

A man rowing a boat on a swollen Brahmaputra in Assam. The river, which originates in Tibet, is called Yarlung Tsangpo River in China.(AP File Photo)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world...iang-report/story-QBmxl7rMgmd8UW6pKV7VSL.html

Top scientists backed by the ruling Communist Party of China are working on a plan to drain the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river near the Indian border and divert the water through a 1,000-km tunnel, the world’s longest, to arid Xinjiang.

The Tsangpo flows into India through Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang before becoming the Brahmaputra in Assam – the source of life and livelihood for millions in the country’s northeast.

The tunnel project, submitted to the government in March, is in the blueprint stage but could trigger a serious water crisis in India’s northeast if implemented as the Tsangpo is an upper riparian river.

Chinese engineers are “testing techniques” that could be used to build the 1,000-km tunnel to carry water from Tibet to the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, citing experts involved in the project.

Even by China’s standards, the project is massive. The country’s longest tunnel is the 85-km Dahuofang water project in Liaoning province, while the world’s longest tunnel is the 137-km water supply pipe beneath New York.

The recommendation from the scientists is simple – drain the Tsangpo in Tibet Autonomous Region and tunnel it to Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which lies in the rain-shadow area of the Tibet plateau. The proposed tunnel will drop from the world’s highest plateau, its multiple sections connected by waterfalls.

Wang Menshu, China’s top tunneling expert, suggested the government “drain the Yarlung Tsangpo River at Sangri county in southern Tibet, near the disputed border with India”, the report said.

Another leading scientist, Wang Wei, who helped draft the tunnel proposal, told the newspaper more than 100 scientists had formed teams for the nationwide research effort.

The scientists are aware India and Bangladesh would protest against the project but are ready to implement it anyway.

“Wang said the project would also prompt protests from India and Bangladesh, which lay downstream. But compared to other proposals, which would require the construction of massive dams on the river, the underground tunnels would leave Tibet’s natural landscape largely unscathed,” the report said.

“It won’t leave a mark on the surface for other countries or environmental activists to point their fingers at,” Wang said.

India will certainly be worried.

Between the Indus, which originates in the west of the Tibet plateau, and the Tsangpo-Siang in the east, there are six major rivers flowing from Tibet to India.

These rivers are crucial for India’s agricultural and industrial needs. As of 2016, China had plans to build 32 dams on the rivers and tributaries, raising concerns among people in lower riparian states.

Zhang Chuanqing, a researcher at the Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics in the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan, Hubei province, is confident the tunnel project will take off despite the enormous costs, engineering challenges, environmental impact and protests by neighbours.

No study on the environmental impact has been carried out so far.

But experts are confident and said with the availability of technology in the years to come and potential benefits, the project will be difficult to resist.

“With new water from Tibet, Xinjiang would boom like California,” Zhang said.

He added China was “now taking a quiet, step-by-step approach to bring it to life”.

A “rehearsal” for the 1000-km tunnel has begun with the building of a tunnel that will be more than 600 km long in Yunnan province in southwestern China. Work on this tunnel started in August and it will comprise more than 60 sections, each wide enough to accommodate two high-speed trains.

The tunnel in Yunnan will pass through mountains several thousand metres above sea level in an area plagued by unstable geological conditions.

“Researchers said building the Yunnan tunnel would be a ‘rehearsal’ of the new technology, engineering methods and equipment needed for the Tibet-Xinjiang tunnel…,” the report said.

The Yunnan project also gives an idea of the enormous costs involved. It will take eight years to build at an estimated cost of 78 billion yuan ($11.7 billion).

“It will carry more than three billion tonnes of water each year from northwestern Yunnan to the province’s dry centre and directly benefit more than 11 million people,” according to the provincial government.

 

[Hindustani78]

BEIJING, October 31, 2017 16:08 IST
Updated: October 31, 2017 16:09 IST

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...utra-waters/article19955810.ece?homepage=true

A leading daily had reported on plans to build a 1,000 km tunnel to carry water from Tibet to Xinjiang

China on Tuesday denied a media report that it was planning to divert water from the Brahmaputra River in Tibet to its arid Xinjiang province by constructing a 1000 kilometre tunnel.

“This is untrue. This is a false report,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying in response to a question.

The report, if true, would have had a major impact on livelihoods India and Bangladesh, as the Brahmaputra, known as Yarlung Tsangpo in China, passes through both these countries before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

“China will continue to attach great importance to the cross-border river cooperation,” Ms. Hua observed.

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post had reported on Monday that Chinese engineers were testing techniques that could be used to build a 1,000 km tunnel – the world’s longest – to carry water from Tibet to Xinjiang.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ke-minister/story-32rlMHlb42lHSt1NdOV4gL.html

Brahmaputra water could be turning black due to recent quake in Tibet: Minister

Water of the Siang river, which originates in southern Tibet and becomes the Brahmaputra upon entering Assam through Arunachal Pradesh, is turning black due to a recent earthquake in the region, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said.
Updated: Dec 04, 2017 12:38 IST

Recent study has found the waters of Brahmaputra was turning black.(AFP file photo)

A preliminary study has found that the water of the Siang river, which originates in southern Tibet and becomes the Brahmaputra upon entering Assam through Arunachal Pradesh, is turning black due to a recent earthquake in the region, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has said.

“We have been getting reports of pollution in the river and its water turning black. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has started looking into the matter recently and people have been sent to the internal areas,” the Union minister of state for water resources said in New Delhi on Sunday.

He added that according to the preliminary findings, the path of the river was temporarily obstructed after an earthquake in Tibet on November 17.

“There is a strong possibility that the colour (of the river’s water) has changed due to natural reasons,” the minister said.

Congress MP Ninong Ering, representing the Arunachal East constituency in Parliament, had recently written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard, noting that the water of the river changing its colour was an unusual phenomenon in the winter months.

In his letter, Ering had also pointed out that there were reports of China constructing a 600-km tunnel in its Yunnan province to divert the Siang water to the Taklamakan desert through the Xinjiang province, even though the neighbouring country had denied any such development.

He had mentioned in the letter that the reports of the Tsangpo (Siang or Brahmaputra) being diverted had appeared a few months back.

Although China had denied it, the matter remained an area of concern for India, the Congress MP had mentioned in his letter to the prime minister.

“After these reports appeared, the water of the river Siang has turned muddy and slushy. It has been two months since the Siang turned black and contaminated. It is an unusual phenomenon.

“The reason for the river getting dirty is unknown. I have already put up questions for discussions in Parliament under rule 377. But since the House is not in session, I am requesting you to use your good office to seek the reason for the river turning muddy in this season, when the water is usually crystal clear,” Ering had written in his letter to Modi.

He had also pointed out that there could be no reason for the river getting contaminated in the month of November other than a possible heavy land excavation on the Chinese side, adding that it had to be verified by an international team.

Certain reports claim that the water of the river have become unusable and that a number of fish had died in the river in the recent past.