China Initiates Dam Building in Upper Brahmaputra Regions, Disregards Reservations from India and Bangladesh
In a move that has raised significant environmental and geopolitical concerns, China has initiated the construction of a mega hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River, located in Tibet near the Line of Actual Control with India. The project, aimed at generating clean energy and promoting regional development, has sparked apprehension among downstream countries, particularly India, due to potential ecological damage and water security threats.
The dam's location in the ecologically fragile and geologically sensitive Tibetan Plateau, prone to seismic activity, has fueled fears about its safety and the risk of ecological disasters in the event of an earthquake. Environmentalists warn that such a large-scale hydropower project could cause irreversible damage to the region's biodiversity and ecosystem, affecting the Brahmaputra river system's water flow and overall ecology, which is crucial for downstream habitats and communities.
Geopolitically, the dam's construction has added to the tension between China and India, as it involves shared water resources in a disputed region. Both India and Bangladesh are concerned that the dam could disrupt water flow, affecting agriculture, drinking water, and livelihoods. India has expressed worries over its water supply and has emphasized its accepted rights to Brahmaputra waters, urging China to ensure downstream states are not harmed.
China, however, claims the project is within its sovereign rights and insists it will not harm downstream regions. Beijing asserts that the dam will support disaster mitigation through controlled water flow and will mainly transmit the electricity generated to other parts of China. The dam is planned to be the world's largest hydropower facility, with a capacity estimated to produce three times more electricity than the Three Gorges Dam.
India and China have established the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss various issues related to transboundary rivers. Despite this, concerns have arisen in India that the dam could empower China to control the water flow and potentially flood border areas. Reports from Dhaka suggest that China's envoy conveyed this during a meeting with Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on July 21.
In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that the dam will not have any negative impact on downstream regions. The Chinese envoy to Bangladesh has also assured that the dam is solely for electricity generation and will not affect water flow to downstream countries.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed concern over the dam project, referring to it as a "ticking 'water bomb'". Khandu also pointed out that China is not a signatory to the international water treaty. Critics argue that the dams in Brahmaputra present an enormous engineering challenge as the project site is located along a tectonic plate boundary where earthquakes occur frequently.
Despite the concerns, China has cooperated with lower riparian states by sharing hydrological data, flood prevention, and disaster alleviation. However, data sharing of trans-border rivers hit a roadblock following the eastern Ladakh border row.
In conclusion, while China emphasizes environmental and development benefits, downstream countries, particularly India, remain apprehensive about potential ecological damage and water security threats. The project's location near a sensitive border further complicates regional geopolitical dynamics.
- The dam's potential ecological damage and impact on water flow has sparked concerns in the environmental science field, as it could cause irreversible harm to the Brahmaputra river system's biodiversity and ecosystem.
- The dam's construction, designed to generate clean energy and promote regional development, has led to a debate in the finance sector about its economic viability and the potential risks to downstream countries.
- The rising tension between China and India, due to the dam's potential disruption of shared water resources in a disputed region, has become a significant topic in the realm of geopolitical science and international relations.
- The dam's planned capacity, estimated to produce three times more electricity than the Three Gorges Dam, is from the realm of science and engineering, showcasing China's ambition in renewable energy production and technological advancement.
- The dam's site, located along a tectonic plate boundary where earthquakes occur frequently, raises questions in the field of environmental science about the structural safety and the potential risks of seismic activities in the dam construction and operation.
