Can China use “waterproof bombs” against India? Beijing is building a 60,000 MW Hydel project
BJP Arunachal MP Tapir Gao claimed that the devastating flood in June 2000 was caused by a similar “water bomb” that had washed away more than 10 bridges on the Siang River as Yarlung Tsangpo was famous in Arunachal Pradesh before entering Assam.
Siang on Hydel Project
The news that China announced the construction of the world’s largest dam is like a “water bomb” that will have a devastating impact on the downstream impacts of northeastern India and Bangladesh, BJP Lok Sabha members from Arunachal Pradesh Pradesh Tapir Gao claimed here on Tuesday. Members from Arunachal Pradesh are talking about a meeting on “Ensure Water Safety, Ecological Integrity and Disaster Resilience: The Case on Brahmin Island”.
“China has decided to build a dam that will have the capacity to produce 60,000 megawatts of electricity. This will not be a dam, but a water bomb for India and other lower riverbank countries,” Gao Gao said.
He claimed that the devastating flood in June 2000 was caused by a similar “water bomb” that had washed away more than 10 bridges on the Xi’ange River because Yarlung Tsangpo was famous in Arunachal Pradesh before entering Assam.
“If China decides to release water from the dam in the future, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bangladesh and other Southeast Asian countries will be destroyed,” he said.
The MP in the eastern Arunachal said he supported the proposal of another dam to be built on the Xi’ange River in its state, which would prevent downstream disasters as water could be released suddenly from the proposed dam.
He said there are legitimate concerns about the project, as the dam could also damage Tibet’s water flow, posing a risk of flash torrents or a decrease in the amount of water downstream.
“This will directly affect India’s agriculture and water supply, especially in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Bangladesh, increasing its dependence on China on such a critical resource,” the MP said.
He said the Indian government is diplomatically trying to talk to China on the issue so that the matter can be resolved.
China approved the construction of the world’s largest dam on Tibet’s Yarlung Tsangpo, with an estimated cost of $137 billion.
The largest dam site is where the river turned around in Maidog County, China before entering Arunachal Pradesh.
Thailand’s Swedish journalist Bertil Linter, an Asian political and historical expert, highlighted how China invaded Tibetan areas in the late 1950s, targeting numerous giant rivers originating from the “roof of the world.”
He asserted: “China has built only 11 dams on the Mekong River, which is the lifeline of the other five countries.”
Lint also stressed the need for India to reach a water sharing agreement with China, which could lead to a “bilateral conflict” between the two neighbors.
Author and journalist Claude Arpi said at the meeting that China not only hopes to become a dam by building a dam in Medog County, but also plans to transfer the water from Yarlung Tsangpo into the Yellow River through many tunnels.
Dr Ranbir Singh, chairman of the Brahmaputra board, pointed out that the Brahmin Basin is the only water-based river basin in India, with the rest lacking water.
“In the case of this dam in China, whether we are studying the water-deficient Brahmin River basin, or in other implications expected in the future, these issues are a problem that appropriate scientific research needs to solve,” he said.
Singh also stressed the need for a multi-pronged strategy, including increasing the stakes against the project, gaining support in international circles and collaboration.
IIT Guwahati Professor Anamika Baruah pointed out the information gap and lack of transparency with neighboring countries “not sharing data”.
“We also don’t have enough scientific data or tools to measure the actual impact of the world’s largest dam on downstream countries,” she said.
Experts from Vietnam, Nepal and Bhutan also participated in the meeting with other experts, covering areas of ecology, water resources management, international relations, environmental law, engineering, policy-making, governance and economics.
The conference organized by the think tank “Asia Convergence” aims to promote the enormous challenges raised by the proposed dam in Tibet amid the looming climate change threat.
He said that the Asian Convergence Director Sabyasachi Dutta said the demand for this hour is to have more scientific research, which will help provide a solid foundation for China’s proposed dam on the big curve.
(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and published from PTI in addition to the title)
