Siang- K
Siang River in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh. Photo by Prafulla Kaman

Arunachal Pradesh parliamentarian Ninong Ering continues to push the Central Government over the plight of Siang River and measures to rectify the problems faced by the river in recent times.

On Tuesday, Ering has reiterated his demand for dredging of the Siang riverbed by the end of 2018.

He also alleged that the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) report on the condition of the Siang River is ‘dissatisfying and distracting’.

In a strongly worded letter to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Ering stated that the condition of Siang River is in a deplorable state, and yet the CWC data paints a rosy picture to keep ‘real suffering and plight of people in oblivion’.

The MP said the Siang river witnessed sudden blackening with heavy turbidity last year, and now the water level has risen due to sedimentation and deposition.

Large portions of agricultural land have been damaged due to heavy erosion of the Siang River, and the river water has left many natives homeless resulting in massive erosion, he said.

“In absence of embankments, villagers somehow built sandbags embankment to protect their lives. Even few stranded people were airlifted by Airforce at Jampani,” the MP said in his letter.

Ering also requested that the Union Minister give assurance on the safety and security of the large number of villagers who are faced with constant threat from the River.