OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing on Wednesday said the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) is important for India's water security and national security, but stressed that the interests and well-being of people affected by the project must be protected through dialogue and consultation.
Tasing, who represents Pangin Assembly constituency in Siang district, said India cannot ignore the large-scale infrastructure development being undertaken by China upstream of the Siang, which is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet and enters India as the Siang before becoming the Brahmaputra.
"The SUMP carries profound significance for India's water security and national security. At a time when China is undertaking massive infrastructure development upstream, India must remain prepared to safeguard its strategic interests and ensure that our water resources can never become an instrument of pressure against our nation," he said. The minister, however, said national interest and the welfare of local communities should not be seen as competing objectives.
He stressed that while the country must prepare for strategic challenges, the rights and interests of people living in the project area also have to be given due importance. "National interest and the welfare of our people must move forward together. As we secure the nation's future, it is equally our solemn responsibility to protect the rights, interests and well-being of every citizen and community affected by the project," Tasing said.
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