Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Table of contents
The Siang River has been in the news lately due to international debates surrounding China’s new hydroelectric projects upstream and India’s corresponding plans for the Upper Siang Multipurpose Project.
Amid government’s efforts to convince communities for the mega hydro power project on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh, those against it are invoking their “age old divine ties” with the river to oppose construction of the proposed large dam that would transform the region’s landscape.
These developments underscore the river’s immense strategic value, hydrological importance, and ecological sensitivity for India’s Northeast, especially Arunachal Pradesh.
About Siang River
- It Originates as Yarlung Tsangpo near Mount Kailash in Tibet.
- It enters Arunachal Pradesh at Gelling, traverses through the Upper Siang and East Siang districts, and emerges onto the Assam plains as the Brahmaputra after merging with the Dibang and Lohit rivers.
- The Siang is revered by the local Adi tribes as a river of healing and purity, celebrated for its sacredness and unmatched might.
Geographical Aspects
- It forms the principal Himalayan trunk stream till it becomes Brahmaputra, with a journey exceeding 1,000 km in Tibet and India combined.
- Siang dominantly flows through Upper Siang, East Siang, and Siang districts in Arunachal Pradesh, supporting towns like Pasighat, Yingkiong, and Pagin.
- It enters India at Gelling, characterized by steep gorges, dense forests, and rich biodiversity before merging with plains in Assam.
- Joins rivers like Dibang and Lohit to form the mighty Brahmaputra.
FAQs
Q1: Where does the Siang River originate?
A1: The Siang originates as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, near Mount Kailash, entering India near Gelling.
Q2: How is the River geographically significant?
A2: It forms the main trunk of the Brahmaputra, cutting across the Eastern Himalayas, featuring rich biodiversity and supporting major districts in Arunachal Pradesh.
Q3: Why has it been in the news recently?
A3: International concerns regarding Chinese damming activities and India’s plans for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project have put the river in the spotlight.
Q4: What are the major threats to the Siang River?
A4: Encroaching pollution, rising water turbidity, hydropower construction debris, and ecological risk to endemic species.
