W
hile Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have asked for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention on the reported construction of a dam over the river Brahmaputra in Tibet by China, India may not be able to make much noise over the China's hydro project. No matter how much noise Assam and Arunachal Pradesh make on the reported construction of the world’s largest dam on the Brahmaputra river by China in Tibet. But Delhi can do very little in this regard. From the MEA sources, it has been learnt that it was India's assessment that the Zangmu hydropower project would be a run of the river hydro project, which will not violate any international laws. A Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation whereby the natural flow and elevation drop of a river are used to generate electricity. These types of dams have certain advantages and disadvantages as well. While there is no flooding, there is still a considerable negative environmental impact through clear cutting for power lines, roads, and a water diversion which affects fish stocks. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash earlier said that India will be trying to ascertain whether there are recent developments that suggest any change in the position conveyed to India by Beijing. The spokesperson said at earlier meetings of India-China experts on trans-border river issues the Chinese side categorically denied that there is a plan to build any such large-scale diversion project on the Brahmaputra river. Both the countries have set up a joint expert committee on trans-border river issues in 2006 and the committee has held 3 meets so far. Delhi is likely to inquire about the Zangmu project at the next bilateral meeting of water experts. China's reported plans to build a dam across the Brahmaputra river and divert water to its arid provinces have been vehemently opposed by the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments. The 2,906-km long Brahmaputra is one of Asia's largest rivers that flows the first stretch of 1,625 km in Tibet region, the next 918 km in India and the remaining 363 km through Bangladesh before converging into the Bay of Bengal. According to media reports, China is planning to divert 200 billion cubic metres of water to feed the Yellow River in an attempt at easing acute water shortage in Shaanxi, Hebel, Beijing and Tianjin. The Brahmaputra is the lifeline for a vast majority of the people in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bangladesh. Most of them depend on the river to irrigate their fields, fishing and transportation of goods. Agriculture forms the backbone of the economies in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh with nearly 80 percent of the 28 million people in the two states eking out a living through farming. There has been no official reaction from Beijing to India's concern about damming the Brahmaputra.
hile Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have asked for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention on the reported construction of a dam over the river Brahmaputra in Tibet by China, India may not be able to make much noise over the China's hydro project. No matter how much noise Assam and Arunachal Pradesh make on the reported construction of the world’s largest dam on the Brahmaputra river by China in Tibet. But Delhi can do very little in this regard. From the MEA sources, it has been learnt that it was India's assessment that the Zangmu hydropower project would be a run of the river hydro project, which will not violate any international laws. A Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation whereby the natural flow and elevation drop of a river are used to generate electricity. These types of dams have certain advantages and disadvantages as well. While there is no flooding, there is still a considerable negative environmental impact through clear cutting for power lines, roads, and a water diversion which affects fish stocks. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash earlier said that India will be trying to ascertain whether there are recent developments that suggest any change in the position conveyed to India by Beijing. The spokesperson said at earlier meetings of India-China experts on trans-border river issues the Chinese side categorically denied that there is a plan to build any such large-scale diversion project on the Brahmaputra river. Both the countries have set up a joint expert committee on trans-border river issues in 2006 and the committee has held 3 meets so far. Delhi is likely to inquire about the Zangmu project at the next bilateral meeting of water experts. China's reported plans to build a dam across the Brahmaputra river and divert water to its arid provinces have been vehemently opposed by the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments. The 2,906-km long Brahmaputra is one of Asia's largest rivers that flows the first stretch of 1,625 km in Tibet region, the next 918 km in India and the remaining 363 km through Bangladesh before converging into the Bay of Bengal. According to media reports, China is planning to divert 200 billion cubic metres of water to feed the Yellow River in an attempt at easing acute water shortage in Shaanxi, Hebel, Beijing and Tianjin. The Brahmaputra is the lifeline for a vast majority of the people in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bangladesh. Most of them depend on the river to irrigate their fields, fishing and transportation of goods. Agriculture forms the backbone of the economies in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh with nearly 80 percent of the 28 million people in the two states eking out a living through farming. There has been no official reaction from Beijing to India's concern about damming the Brahmaputra.
