Assam CM worried over Chinese plans to divert Brahmaputra

New Delhi, June 14 (PTI) Concerned over reports about China planning to divert the Brahmaputra river, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said he will approach the External Affairs Ministry so that the matter is taken up with China. "We are concerned about it. Everybody is concerned about it," he told reporters here when asked about the reports that China is considering diversion of the river. Gogoi said he will be meeting External Affairs Minister S M Krishna over the issue. "We, as a state, cannot take any steps directly. But we have already raised it here... and definitely we will take up with External Affairs Minister. I will meet him (Krishna) also," he said after a meeting with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. "Definitely the govermment of India will take it up (with China)," the Chief Minister said. He said the matter also figured during his meeting with Ahluwalia to fix Assam's Plan allocation for 2011-12. "We did raise it (the matter of China's plan to divert the Brahmaputra)," Gogoi noted. Krishna had yesterday said his Ministry was seeking more details from China on these reports. The Brahmaputra, which enters India from Tibet, is considered the lifeline of Assam.