Take up Brahmaputra pollution with China: LS members

New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) After Lok Sabha members on Tuesday expressed concern over the Brahmaputra river being polluted by China, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar assured the House that he will take up the issue at the "highest level" in the government.

The matter was raised by Bhartruhari Mahtab of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) during Zero Hour. Mahtab said pollution in the river which flows through China, India and Bangladesh, has increased. He said that the issue must be taken up with Beijing.

Referring to media reports, the BJD leader said cement flowing in the river water was causing "great damage to health of the river and also to irrigation facility".

"Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) in Siang river is very high...," he said raising the issue.

He also urged the Centre to make the issue public and share the response of the Chinese government.

Mahtab was joined by Bharatiya Janata Party member from Assam Bijoya Chakravarty, who said the water in the river has been polluted at the source.

Chakravarty also said that the issue was raised with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who promised to take it up with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

"It is a very serious issue. Already Brahmaputra has been completely polluted... because of some substance coming from China. It is contaminated right from source... the riparian area should be taken care of," she said.

Ananth Kumar joined the members in expressing concern over the issue.

"This will definitely affect the plain, especially in Assam and northeastern parts...," he said.

Water in the Siang river, which flows as Yarlung Tsangpo from southern Tibet, and becomes the Brahmaputra river in Assam, has turned black.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his Assam counterpart Sarbananda Sonowal have also raised the issue with the central government.