New Delhi (Sputnik) — Considered a lifeline by a large section of the population in India's frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh, the water of the trans-border River Siang has turned muddy and black with slag. Local authorities fear that the slag that has contaminated the otherwise crystal clear water of the river could be the byproduct of a massive project said to be undertaken by China that includes boring a 1000-kilometer deep tunnel to divert the river from Tibet to Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang.
"Though there has been no official confirmation by the Chinese government, the reality is far from secret. The water level of River Siang jas remarkably decreased, become muddy and not fit for aquatic life," Ninong Ering, member of the Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh told Sputnik.
Ninong Ering has confirmed to Sputnik that he has written a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to take up the issue as a priority. "The matter is too sensitive," he said.
"Delay would allow China to tap this water resource and prompt major conflict in Siang belt and Assam in particular and the nation as a whole," Ering added.
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Earlier on October 31, the Chinese foreign ministry had termed ‘untrue' a report in the South China Morning Post which said that Chinese engineers had proposed building a tunnel to divert water from the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet to Xinjiang.
