Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Friday said China’s plan to construct the world’s largest hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River will have a devastating effect on the state and Assam. He said any sudden releases of water from the dam could cause severe flooding downstream, and the hydropower project could be used by China as a water bomb.
"If China uses it as a water bomb, it will completely affect the Adi tribe (who reside in the Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh) and millions in Assam and as far as Bangladesh. It’s a matter of big concern,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar.
He said that it was more worrying since China is not a signatory of global treaties on water.
Also read: China’s mega dam threat to millions in India and Bangladesh: Arunachal CM
The Yarlung Tsangpo river enters Arunachal Pradesh as Siang and becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam before flowing into Bangladesh.
Speaking at the inaugural function of a seminar titled ‘Environment and Security’, Khandu said the dam would allow China to control the timing and volume of water flowing downstream, which could have devastating effects during periods of low flow or drought.
Also read: India redflags China’s mega dam plan in Tibet, 2 new counties in occupied Ladakh
{{/usCountry}}Also read: India redflags China’s mega dam plan in Tibet, 2 new counties in occupied Ladakh
{{/usCountry}}“The mighty Siang or the Brahmaputra river would dry up during winters disrupting life in the Siang belt and the plains of Assam,” he cautioned.
The chief minister said that sudden releases of water from the dam could also cause severe floods downstream, particularly during monsoon seasons.
“China’s construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River poses significant risks to the water security, ecology, and livelihoods of millions of people downstream in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Bangladesh. The potential disruption of water flows, flooding, and ecosystem degradation could have far-reaching consequences on us,” he added.
He also warned about the dam's impact on the ecology of India and China.
"Tibet is often referred to as the ‘Water Tower of Asia’, supplying water to over a billion people in the region. Its environmental health is critical not only to China and India but also to much of Asia. Therefore, India, given its direct dependency on Tibet’s rivers and climate patterns, has a significant role to play in global environmental conservation efforts,” Khandu added.
All you need to know about the dam
China reiterated its plan to build the world's biggest dam in Tibet near the Indian border, saying the planned project has gone through rigorous scientific verification and will not have any negative impact on downstream countries -- India and Bangladesh.
The project, estimated to cost around USD 137 billion, is located in the ecologically fragile Himalayan region along a tectonic plate boundary where earthquakes occur frequently.
With inputs from PTI