Current Affairs Question - 27 November 2019

Explanation :

• Etalin Hydro Electric Power Company Limited (EHEPCL), a joint venture company of Jindal Power Limited (JPL) & Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Limited, is supposed to be built in the biodiversity-rich Dibang river valley of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The project was first identified in 2003 and was granted Terms of Reference (ToRs) by the environment ministry in 2009.
• It envisages construction of two dams - a 101.5 metre high dam on the Dirriver near Yuron village and a 80-metre high dam on Tangon river.
• The Dri and Tangon rivers are tributaries of Dibang.

Reason for Opposition to Project

• The proposed project location falls at the junction of the Palaearctic, Indo-Chinese, and Indo-Malayan bio-geographic regions having luxuriant forests and plethora of flora and fauna.
• About six globally threatened mammal species are found in this region of which three are endangered and three are under the vulnerable category.
• In addition, the entire region falls under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) management categories III and IV, Endemic Bird Area, Global Biodiversity Hotspot, and Key Biodiversity Area indicating its importance at global scale.

River Dibang

• Dibang River, also known as Sikang in Adi and Talon in Idu, is a tributary river of the Brahmaputr (Known as Dihang in Arunachal Pradesh) that originates and flows through the Mishmi Hills & northeast India from the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Sisar, Mathun, Tangon, Dri, Ithun and Emra are the major tributaries of the Dibang.

Explanation :

• Assam Roofed Turtle (Pangshurasylhetensis) is a species of Testudinata in the family Geoemydidae.
• The species occurs in the north-eastern & south-eastern parts of Bangladesh, in India (Assam)and possibly in Bhutan.
• It is found in terrestrial and freshwater habitats in areas with upland tropical moist forest, and fast-flowing streams and perhaps also small rivers.
• The species is protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, and has been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000.
• It is listed on CITES Appendix II under Pangshura species.