China is heading to construct a new super dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River originating in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. As per reports, the super dam hydropower project is a part of China’s new five years plan (2021-2025), currently on the table of National People’s Congress seeking its go ahead. According to experts, the dam will be the first instance of hydroelectric power dam construction activity on the stretch of the river that lies close to the Indian border in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). China is following a plan under Paris Climate Accord to achieve the goal of zero carbon emissions in its power generation systems by 2030, therefore it has been vigorously working on constructions of dam in upper and middle stretches of the river, but it is the first chance of constructing a super dam of 60 Gigawatts on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo.
The Chinese plan for construction of dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River near Indo-China border had sparked a serious discussion among the Indian government, intellectual circles, and media. According to experts, the dam would have negative effects on Indian economy, agriculture, and fertile land due to decrease in volume of water coming into India. India is advocating against the dam project while arguing that it will cause water scarcity in winter and flood hazard in summer besides effecting vegetation and farming in Indian adjacent states. Most likely India will raise the issue with Chinese government if National People’s Congress gives go ahead on this the super dam project.
Today, India is facing the same situation which Pakistan has been facing on the hands of India over the seven decades by its continuous construction of dams on the rivers coming into Pakistan from Indian territory. There were dozens of such dames and barrages built by India with the intentions of pushing the Pakistan into land draught, water scarcity and food shortage. Pakistanis never forget the Modi’s threatening to stop water flowing into Pakistan. However, Chinese are not such mean like Modi rather they asserted that China would take the interests of other riparian states into consideration before planning any hydro projects on the Himalayan river.
