Keeping close watch on developments, says govt. The government today sought to dispel apprehensions that China was drying up the Brahmaputra’s mighty tributary Siang. The under-construction bridge over the Brahmputra at Bogibil in Dibrugarh. While the External Affairs Ministry reiterated that there was no evidence of construction of any dam on the river by China on its side, the Water Resources Ministry assured that India was keeping a “constant watch on all the developments that have a bearing on India’s interests and will take necessary measures to protect them”. The Water Resources Ministry said, “The changes in the river regime and flows are a natural phenomenon dependent on various hydro-meteorological and climatological factors.” Sources in the MEA said the issue had been taken up with China that had assured that it was doing nothing on its side to affect the flow of the Brahmaputra. In any case, the government was keeping a close watch on activities that could affect the country’s interests, they added. Tako Dabi, Political Adviser to the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, who also happens to be the spokesperson of the state government, had yesterday apprehended that China might have diverted water of the river, known as Yarlong Tsangpo in Tibet, or could have put some artificial blockade in the flow. His comments came even as Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi was meeting External Affairs Minister SM Krishna in New Delhi. Dabi was quoted as saying that people in Pasighat town recently found the Siang almost dried up in the area, shrinking about a km from its bank. China has planned to construct eight cascade hydropower dams in the upper Mekong Basin in Yunnan province, experts say, adding that the issue must be taken up at the highest level. The Brahmaputra issue is now a permanent fixture in India-China talks. However, Water Resources Ministry officials said Dabi’s statement “may be based on the visual impression gathered from general public perception of the rivers flows aroundPasigh at town”. Not affecting flow of water to India: China BEIJING: Claiming that its hydropower project on the Brahmaputra in Tibet was not obstructing the water flow to India, China today said its dam was “not big” enough to affect the lower riparian regions. “...you might have noted, Foreign Minister (SM) Krishna and other Indian officials have remarked to the knowledge of the Indian Government, China has not developed new hydroprojects on the river,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing here. — PTI