A proposed 60,000-megawatt dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which flows into India as the Brahmaputra, has raised alarm bells in India.
Asom Gana Parishad MP Birendra Prasad Baishya warned that the project poses a severe threat to Assam and Northeast India, disrupting the river’s flow, impacting biodiversity, and threatening the region’s way of life and cultural heritage.
The massive project, part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, is estimated to cost USD 137 billion, making it the world’s largest infrastructure project.
Both India and Bangladesh rely heavily on the Brahmaputra for their water supply, and any diversion of its flow could have disastrous effects on the region.
Critics fear that China’s control over the Brahmaputra’s water flow could lead to geopolitical tensions and manipulation of water levels. Baishya urged the central government to take the matter seriously, stressing the profound implications the project could have on Assam’s water supply, agriculture, economy, and ecology.
India is building its own dam on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh, but the massive scale of China’s project raises questions about the balance of power and risks posed to the region.
Ongoing talks between India and China about sharing hydrological data may not be enough to address the risks posed by the mega-project.