Fri Jan 24 19:40:55 IST 2025: **Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Raises Concerns Over China’s Mega-Dam Project**
ITANAGAR, India (January 25, 2025) – Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed serious concerns Friday over China’s plans to construct the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which flows into India as the Siang and Brahmaputra. Speaking at a seminar on “Environment and Security,” Khandu highlighted China’s refusal to enter binding international water treaties and its selective data sharing as major issues.
China’s planned 60,000-megawatt dam, confirmed in December, is located near the Arunachal Pradesh border in Tibet. While Beijing claims minimal environmental impact, Khandu warned of potentially devastating consequences. He cited the risk of the Siang/Brahmaputra drying up during winter due to controlled water release, disrupting life in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Conversely, sudden water releases could cause severe flooding during monsoon season, damaging infrastructure and displacing communities. The altered sediment flow would also negatively affect agriculture.
Khandu emphasized the broader implications for water security and ecological stability across the region, affecting millions in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Bangladesh. He noted that many major Indian rivers originate in Tibet, and China’s exploitation of Tibetan resources poses an existential threat to these vital waterways. He called for cooperative governance of shared water resources in Asia, stressing the critical role India must play in regional environmental conservation efforts given its dependence on Tibetan rivers. The seminar, organized by the Tibet Support Group of Arunachal Pradesh and the Core Group for Tibetan Cause, included representatives from the Central Tibetan Administration and the Indian Parliament.
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