China's Attempt to Build Dam on Brahmaputra will be Termed as Encroachment: India

NEW DELHI: During a review meeting of Central Water Commission, Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State in the Jal Shakti Ministry stated that China's attempt to build a hydropower station on the Brahmaputra river will act as an encroachment.

According to reports, a statement by the ministry of Jal Shakti mentioned that China to set up a super hydropower station at the Brahmaputra at Medong, Tibet, the officials apprised that any attempt to divert the water of Brahmaputra river shall act as an encroachment on the entitled rights of lower riparian states like India, Bangladesh and adversely affect the availability of water in the Brahmaputra basin during the lean season.

Medog is the last county in Tibet which borders Arunachal Pradesh.

Earlier in November 2020, Yan Zhiyong, chairman of the Power Construction Corp of China, said China will "implement hydropower exploitation in the downstream of the Yarlung Zangbo River" (the Tibetan name for the Brahmaputra).

It is to be mentioned that Yarlung Zangbo originates in Tibet and the river is known as Siang when it enters India through Arunachal Pradesh. Further, the river is joined by several tributaries to take the shape of the Brahmaputra.

Notably, 90 per cent of the Brahmaputra water comes through its tributaries in India during the monsoon season, however, it is only in winters that 80 per cent of the Siang river gets its water from the upper stretches as glaciers become the main source.

The mighty Brahmaputra, one of the longest rivers in the world, passes through China, India and Bangladesh and has several tributaries and sub-tributaries.

Currently, under the existing bilateral memorandums of understanding, China provides hydrological information of Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers to India during the flood seasons.

Under the arrangement, China provides flood season data of the Brahmaputra river between May 15 and October 15 every year.

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