Prevention is better than cure when it comes to the possibility of Brahmaputra flooding.
In a recent article published by The Print, Col. Vinayak Bhat (retd) talked about “How a tweet by an Arunachal Pradesh MP created flood scare in northeast”. His claims are, however, far from the reality of the situation in Arunachal Pradesh and are entirely based on an incorrect interpretation of Congress MP Ninong Ering’s tweet.
In his letter to the ministry of external affairs and ministry of water resources, Ninong Ering had requested the ministries to be prepared for any potential flood in the Siang river, the local name for the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh. The MP thought it fit to raise concerns when the information received from the ministry of water resources of China indicated that landslides have blocked the Milin section of the mainstream Yarlung Tsangpo river (the Brahmaputra in Tibet), which will have an impact on the water situation of the lower reaches of the river. It was based on this information and in the better interest of the people of the northeast that Ering requested the ministries of external affairs and water resources to remain in touch with the Chinese authorities, closely monitor the situation and take steps to prevent and mitigate any potential damage.
Also read: How a tweet by an Arunachal Pradesh MP created flood scare in northeast
Tweet not based on rumours
Ninong Ering’s tweet was based on information received from Chinese authorities, which was authentic. The information provided was further substantiated by the fact that the Siang river had nearly dried up due to the blockage caused by landslides in the Tibet region.
On the basis of information received from Chinese authorities, the east Siang district administration also issued an alert and said that the blockade caused by the landslide may cause a flash flood in the downstream areas, which can lead to loss of life and property.
Why Ninong Ering tweeted
The Siang river is the lifeline of Arunachal Pradesh. Over the past few years, the water in the Siang river has become muddy and slushy. The river has turned black and is contaminated. Further, the flooding caused by the river has caused incalculable damage in the past few years. Ninong Ering has raised this issue on numerous occasions in Parliament and has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and concerned ministries. In order to improve the worsening condition of the Siang river, Ering had also written to the ministry of home affairs requesting dredging of the river.
Also read: Brahmaputra flood scare in Arunachal over, but India must watch out as crisis can return
It is rightly said that prevention is better than cure. There was no information on the volume of water that had drained and hence, there was no way to ascertain what the level of the flood would be. It was thus essential for disaster management teams to take every possible precaution. It was purely out of concern for the well-being of people of the whole northeast that Ninong Ering had raised these crucial concerns in order to prepare the people and authorities for any potential flood that might occur and cause damage.
Vijay K. Tyagi is a Legislative Assistant to Member of Parliament (LAMP) Fellow at the Office of Ninong Ering,
Abhishek Ranjan is a Policy Analyst at the Office of Ninong Ering, Member of Parliament.