Question : INDO CHINA WATER DISPUTES

(a) whether a senior official of Chinese Government has been appointed to interact with Indian Official to activate the joint mechanism for resolution of Water Dispute, set up earlier after the visit of Chinese President last year;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the issues to be resolved thereunder;

(c) whether an Indian delegation from the Ministry recently visited China for holding discussions on water related issues; and

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the issues discussed therein?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV)

(a) & (b) Presently, there is no water dispute between India and China. However, after the visit of Hon`ble Chinese President during Nov, 2006, a Joint Expert Level Mechanism has been set up between both the countries to discuss interaction and cooperation on the provision of flood season hydrological data, emergency management and other issues regarding trans- border rivers as agreed between them. Both the countries have constituted their expert groups. The leader of the Chinese expert group is the Director General, Water Resources and Hydropower Planning design Institute of the Ministry of Water Resources of people`s Republic of China.

(c) No Indian delegation from the Ministry of Water Resources visited China recently, in last three months for holding discussions on water related issues.

(d) Does not arise.