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News18
15 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
China's Megadam: India's Chance To Redefine Water Diplomacy
The time to act is now—before the river's flow, and the region's future, slip beyond reach China has started building the world's biggest hydropower megadam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, in Tibetan territory, sparking concerns from India and Bangladesh. The project, which was unveiled on Saturday, is set to roil riparian relations. However, what if India took advantage of this opportunity to rethink water diplomacy in South Asia instead of exploding in alarm or hurrying to construct counter-dams? India should not play defence at this time. It is a chance to take the initiative and change regional dynamics by combining ecological stewardship, tough diplomacy, and the cultural resonance of the Brahmaputra. Beijing is building a huge dam that will produce enormous power—about 300 billion kilowatt-hours a year. It's a $167 billion project. Beijing says it will protect the environment and help the local economy. But it's very close to India's Arunachal Pradesh, so it's raising some red flags. India is worried. Arunachal chief minister Pema Khandu says that it could cause big problems like droughts, floods, or even a 'water bomb" if things get tense. And he is right—the river starts as the Yarlung Tsangpo in China, flows into India as the Brahmaputra, and then into Bangladesh as the Jamuna. Millions depend on it for water and farming. If something disrupts the river, it could devastate lives and nature. But India could turn this into a victory by collaborating with neighbours and showing some real leadership. Reactive dam-building or diplomatic protests alone won't suffice. India must innovate. It should take the lead in developing a trilateral framework for water sharing with Bangladesh and China, founded on transparent real-time data and cooperative environmental assessments. India can negotiate as an equal rather than a supplicant, because the Brahmaputra flows through an Indian river system that also receives substantial rainfall, despite originating in Tibet. India can use the river's cultural significance—which is linked to the Kamakhya Temple and ancient rituals—to influence public opinion. The river is regarded as the holy 'Luit" in Assam. A campaign framing the Brahmaputra as a shared heritage could pressure China. India should invest in modernising irrigation, restoring wetlands, and developing early-warning systems for floods. Finally, it can lead by example—prioritising sustainable hydropower over megadams, showcasing a model that contrasts with China's heavy-handed approach. Imagine India hosting a South Asian water summit, inviting China, Bangladesh, and Bhutan to negotiate a Brahmaputra Basin Authority. Imagine Assamese poets and Bangladeshi fishers joining diplomats to highlight the river's cultural and ecological stakes. Such a move would cast India as a regional steward, not a rival. It could also leverage international forums to push for binding water-sharing norms, drawing on successful models like the Danube River agreement. By blending pragmatism with moral authority, India could outmanoeuvre China's hydro-hegemony without firing a shot. Beijing insists the dam prioritises ecological protection and local prosperity, denying intentions to weaponise water. Its carbon neutrality goals are real, and the project promises economic benefits for Tibet. Yet its opacity—scant details on displacement or design—undermines trust. India stands at a crossroads. The Brahmaputra's fate is not just a geopolitical game—it's a test of leadership. By championing a cooperative, culturally resonant, and ecologically sound approach, India can turn China's dam into a catalyst for a new era of water diplomacy. The time to act is now—before the river's flow, and the region's future, slip beyond reach. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Arunachal CM Khandu reaffirms commitment to indigenous faiths, traditions
Itanagar, Jul 24 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has reaffirmed the government's unwavering commitment to preserving and promoting the indigenous faiths of the state, calling them the spiritual and cultural soul of the tribal communities. In a message shared on social media on Thursday, Khandu stressed that indigenous faiths are unlike major religions as they do not originate from scriptures but from land, memory, and lived traditions. 'They are not exported, they are rooted. They hold the soul of our people, our forests, mountains, rivers, and ancestors," he wrote on X. Reiterating the government's resolve to protect this ancestral wisdom, the chief minister said a number of initiatives are already underway across the state. Six indigenous gurukuls have been established for the Adi, Galo, Nyishi, and Tangsa tribes to strengthen traditional learning and value systems through community-led institutions, Khandu said. In addition, more than 3,000 registered indigenous priests are being provided with honorariums in recognition of their vital role in conducting rituals, preserving oral traditions, and serving as spiritual guides, the chief minister added. Complementing these efforts, 50 indigenous prayer centres have also been set up across the state to provide dedicated spaces for spiritual practice rooted in native faiths, he said. 'This isn't just about culture. It's about who we are. And it's about making sure we don't forget," Khandu said, underlining that the protection of indigenous faiths is essential to safeguarding the state's unique identity and heritage. PTI UPL UPL MNB (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 13:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
200 got new lease of life by kidney transplant under state-run scheme in 7 yrs: Arunachal CM
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday said more than 200 patients got a fresh lease of life by kidney transplants under a state-run scheme in the last seven years. He highlighted the ongoing implementation of the Chief Minister Organ Transplant Scheme (CMOTS), reinforcing the state's commitment to saving lives through critical support. The chief minister, in a social media post, advocated a fundamental shift in the state's healthcare approach towards prevention and wellness. "Over the last 7 years, we've helped more than 200 patients receive a second chance at life through kidney transplants. Now, we're building on that progress. Under the new Chief Minister Organ Transplant Scheme (CMOTS), we're expanding support of Rs 10 lakh for kidney transplants, Rs 15 lakh for bone marrow transplants, Rs 20 lakh for liver transplants," he said in a post on X. However, Khandu emphasised that treatment alone is not enough to build a healthy society. "Real progress is when people don't fall sick in the first place. We've got to change how we think about healthcare. Because a healthy society doesn't start in the operating room. It starts at home, in our communities, in how we live," he said. The chief minister urged the health department to prioritise prevention through real investment in awareness, education, and lifestyle change. The state government has allocated an amount of Rs 369 crore for the health sector in the 2025-26 fiscal. CMOTS is currently in effect and is part of the government's broader health sector roadmap. A key component of the scheme involves strengthening the state's capability in kidney transplants through a dedicated programme at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) at Naharlagun, near here. TRIHMS is collaborating with the Chandigarh-based Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), India's leading centre for transplant medicine and research. State Health and Family Welfare Minister Biyuram Wahge recently visited PGIMER, where he met Director Prof Vivek Lal and a team of specialists to discuss a phased implementation plan tailored to Arunachal's unique healthcare needs. Wahge later shared that PGIMER has agreed to provide comprehensive technical and logistical support to Arunachal Pradesh, which will include capacity building, training, infrastructure development, and long-term institutional collaboration. The state government is also partnering with various other organisations to increase awareness about organ donation and to scale up transplant-related services.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
India, China and the Brahmaputra front
Last week, the Chinese government started work on the construction of a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo, just before the river bends and enters Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called the Siang. The river then flows into Assam, where it is called the Brahmaputra. The $170 billion project, linked to Beijing's developmental goals in the Tibetan region, is expected to generate 60 GW of electricity, roughly three times more than the Three Gorges Dam. The project has stirred old anxieties in the river's downstream, especially in Arunachal Pradesh and Bangladesh. Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu has described the Chinese project as a 'ticking water bomb'. An increase in the Chinese capacity to manipulate the river's flows once the dam is constructed could increase the risks of floods in the country's Northeast, he has said. The fact that very little is known of the project's storage capacity has aggravated the unease. The risk could also stem from sudden surges in downstream flows — from unannounced water releases or from increased discharge as a result of the warming climate or even engineering errors. Hydrology experts fear that the Chinese project could disrupt water flow to the hydro projects proposed in the country's Northeast — the region holds nearly half of India's hydropower potential, over 80 per cent of which remains untapped. India's Brahmaputra predicament is unlike that of most lower riparian states. The river gains most of its volume only after it enters Arunachal Pradesh, fed by largely river-fed tributaries in the Eastern Himalaya, such as the Lohit and the Dibang. In the Brahmaputra's lower riparian regions, the unpredictability of flood patterns is already a big challenge. The fears about inundation due to the river's changing flows are, therefore, not unfounded. In 2013, India and China signed a MoU on sharing information on river flows. But, by all accounts, Beijing has not always been open to sharing hydrological data. A more effective response to the Chinese dam would be to build up the defences of vulnerable regions in the Northeast. In 2017, when the Yarlung Zangbo dam was still at a planning stage, Niti Aayog had proposed a multipurpose project in the Siang region as a strategic counter to the Chinese hydro station. Besides generating electricity, the project's storage facility can cushion the Northeast from the risks of being flooded by water released from the Chinese dam. However, work on the Siang dam has progressed at a slow pace, largely because a section of the local population has opposed the project. The Ministry of Jal Shakti tasked the National Hydro Power Corporation to prepare a pre-feasibility report but vital investigations have not been conducted. Fears about displacement and livelihood losses have found expression in the opposition to the Siang project. The political class and technical experts must come together to build safeguards and remove such apprehensions. The work on building storage facilities downstream of the Brahmaputra cannot be postponed.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Digital governance reshaping Arunachal: Khandu
Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday reaffirmed the state government's commitment to transparent and efficient governance by embracing a digital-first approach to public service delivery. Digital governance reshaping Arunachal: Khandu In a social media post, Khandu outlined how the shift to digital governance is not just about modernisation, but about cleansing the system, restoring public trust, and eliminating opportunities for corruption. "Reflecting at a time when governance was synonymous with long queues, misplaced files, and approvals that often depended on personal influence rather than genuine need, that's why we chose the digital path. Not just to modernise, but to cleanse the system, to bring back trust," Khandu said in a post on X. The chief minister cited the implementation of e-office as a game-changer, where no file can go missing and every movement is transparently tracked. The introduction of e-receipts has ended unofficial cash transactions by ensuring that every rupee is digitally recorded. With digital dashboards, delays are now visible and responsibility is clearly assigned, while online public services have eliminated the role of middlemen, allowing citizens direct access to the system, he said. "This is how we fight corruption, not with slogans, but with systems that cannot lie," Khandu asserted. Echoing this vision, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein lauded the sweeping changes brought about under Digital Arunachal 2.0, describing it as a transformation from "geographic isolation to digital innovation". In a social media post, Mein revealed that over 971 government offices are currently operating through the e-office system, having processed more than 2.45 lakh files and generated over 3.87 crore e-receipts to date. He added that citizen-centric services are now accessible online, while real-time monitoring through the e-pragati dashboard is enabling faster and more accountable implementation of government schemes. "This transformation reflects our commitment to building a Viksit Arunachal, where technology empowers every citizen and inclusive progress reaches every corner," the deputy chief minister added. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
