China’s Dam on Brahmaputra and India’s Concerns

Why in news?

Recently, China’s construction of a massive dam on the Brahmaputra River close to the border with Arunachal Pradesh has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh.

What is China's project on Brahmaputra river?

• Announced in – 2001
• Also known as – Medong county project.
• Location - The dam is being built on the Yarlung Zangbo (or Tsangpo), as the Brahmaputra is known in Tibet, is being built at the Great Bend.

• The river Brahmaputra is called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Electricity generation – It will have a generation capacity of 60,000 MW.
• Largest ever project – The $167.8 billion hydropower project, which will be the world’s largest after completion.
•  It is three times that of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, which is currently the world’s biggest hydropower station.

What are the concerns for India?

• Existential threat – This project is seen as a potential water bomb and an “existential threat”  to tribal and their livelihoods.

• Security threat – It seems to be a far bigger issue than the military threat form china.
• Risk of massive flooding – Sudden release of water, the entire Siang belt would be destroyed.
• Risk due to the intentional or unintentional operation of reservoirs in Tibet.
• Unforeseen hazards – There are heavy chances for events such as dam failure, landslides, or earthquakes.
• Chances of drought – In the long run the Siang and Brahmaputra rivers could dry up considerably.
• Seismically active region – Tibet is located, where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate, is a earthquake-prone and ecologically extremely fragile.
• Challenges for Assam – The Brahmaputra is the lifeline of Assam, fundamental to its economy, and central to its history, culture, and ecology.
  • Any significant disruption in the flow of the river in the state will have far -reaching consequences.
• Future apprehensions – China may seek to weaponise the dam project at some stage.
  • It may possibly build pressure on behalf of Pakistan after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty against terror attack in Pahalgam.

How did India reacted to this project?

• Continuous monitoring – India is observing Chinese infrastructure interventions on the river.
• Voiced the opinion – As a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, India have consistently expressed the views and concerns.
• Stressing for dialogues – The need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries were reiterated.
• Protecting the overall Interest – The China has been urged to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas.
• China’s statement – It claims that the dam project was fully within China’s sovereignty.
  • Cooperation – It is engaged with downstream countries on sharing hydrological data, flood prevention and disaster reduction.
  • Communication – It has had the necessary communication with both India and Bangladesh.
• Unintentional benefit for India – In the unlikely event of China reducing water flow, it may actually help India mitigate the annual floods in Assam.

What are the recent developments in India – China Relations?

• Agreement on patrolling – This was made along the Line of Actual Control, leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas previously.
• Strategic talks – The two sides exchanged views on early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including on trans-border Rivers.
• Recommencing of Visa – India would resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals after a gap of five years.
• Resuming of Yatra – The annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been on hold for the last five years, resumed.

What India should do?

• Oppose vehemently – India needed to raise its concerns with China forcefully.
• Capacity building – India may make scientific calculations about the Chinese dam project, and build its own capability and capacity to prevent any deliberate actions in the future.
• Mitigation strategy – India could plan storage on rivers of the Brahmaputra system to absorb potential variations in flows (periods of flooding and reduced flows).
• The Upper Siang project – In Arunachal Pradesh, the 300-metre-high dam, is seen as important not just for its formidable hydropower potential, but also as a strategic imperative in view of the Chinese projects in Tibet.
  • The dam’s storage can serve as a buffer against variations in the flow of the river.
  • However, progress on the project has been slowed by local resistance against the potential adverse environmental impact of the dam.
• Build more inland channels – There is a need to build more inland channels to carry the flow of excess water in the future.

What lies ahead?

• India could seek detailed hydrological and project-related data from China in order to assess downstream impacts on a continuous basis.
• India could also have conversations with other low riparian neighbours, Bhutan, Bangladesh and even Myanmar on developing a coordinated protocol for advance warning and disaster preparedness.

Quick facts

Reference

The Hindu| China’s Dam Construction on Brahmaputra