Govt. monitoring Brahmaputra to detect abnormalities: Swaraj
New Delhi: The government continues to carefully monitor the flow of the Brahmaputra river for early detection of abnormalities and to ensure that corrective and preventive measures are taken, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today.
Replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha on whether construction of dams by China on the tributaries of the Brahmaputra has contaminated its waters, the minister said the government has noted the Chinese foreign ministry's statement denying such a link and that it was caused by an earthquake in the region and was not a manmade incident.
She also said India intends to "remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interest, including through an institutionalised expert-level mechanism which was established in 2006".
"As a lower riparian state with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, the government has consistently conveyed its view and concerns to the Chinese authorities, including at the highest levels, and has urged them to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas," she said.
The minister said she also took up the issue with the Chinese foreign minister during his recent visit here in December.
The Centre was in close cooperation with various state governments, which use the waters of the Brahmaputra river, Swaraj added.
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5 schoolchildren among 7 killed in blast in southwest Pakistan
Islamabad (PTI): At least seven people, including five schoolchildren and a policeman, were killed on Friday in a remote-controlled blast in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, according to media reports.
The blast occurred at 8.35 am near a school at the Civil Hospital Chowk of the Mastung district of the province, Dawn newspaper reported.
“It appears that an IED (improvised explosive device) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai was quoted as saying in the report.
“So far, seven individuals have been killed, including five school students,” Bazai said. At least 22 people were injured in the attack.
Most of those injured were schoolchildren, Geo News reported, adding that they were shifted to a nearby hospital.
A police van and several auto-rickshaws were damaged in the explosion, according to the report.
An emergency was declared across all Quetta hospitals after the blast, the report said quoting the provincial health department spokesperson, adding that all doctors, pharmacists, staff nurses and other medical staff were summoned.
