China’s Great Bend Dam to Make Brahmaputra Basin Water-Deficient: Dr Ranbir Singh

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Brahmaputra Board chairman Dr Ranbir Singh pointed out that the Brahmaputra Basin is the only water-surplus river basin in India, with the rest being water-deficient. “With the Great Bend Dam in China, are we looking at a water-deficient Brahmaputra river basin?” he wondered. Dr Singh also underlined the need for a multi-pronged strategy, including upping the ante against the project and garnering support in international circles and through collaborations.

Participating in a daylong seminar titled ‘Ensuring Water Security, Ecological Integrity, and Disaster Resilience in the Sub-Himalayan Region: The Case of the Brahmaputra’ organised by Northeast India’s premier think tank, Asian Confluence, in Guwahati today, experts from various fields highlighted the possible devastating downstream impact of the proposed series of dams aimed at producing 60,000 MW at Namche Bawra on Northeast India and Bangladesh.

Making a presentation during a technical session, IIT Guwahati’s Prof. Anamika Baruah highlighted how studies have predicted more “dry days” in the downstream of the Tibetan Plateau, which will rather see more “wet days” in the future as a consequence of the numerous dams being built in the region. She, however, mentioned that there has been no collaborative study on the issue with China. Making a fervent appeal to highlight the issue at different forums, including in Parliament, Prof. Baruah said, “Let’s shape the narrative before it is shaped for us.”

Initiating the discussion, author and Tibetologist Claude Arpi said China not only wants to become a power giant by building the dam in Medog County, but it also has plans to divert the water of the Yarlung Tsangpo to the Yellow River through numerous tunnels.

Arunachal Pradesh BJP MP Tapir Gao, known for his vocal stand against China’s designs, said it will not be a dam but a “water bomb” to be used against India and other lower riparian countries. He reminded about the June 2000 devastating floods caused by a similar “water bomb” that had washed away more than 10 bridges on the Siang River, as the Yarlung Tsangpo is known in Arunachal Pradesh before it becomes Brahmaputra upon entering Assam. The Arunachal East MP also expressed support for the proposal for another dam to be built on the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh to prevent disaster downstream due to the possibility of a sudden release of water from the proposed dam at the Great Bend.

Experts from Nepal and Bhutan also took part in the seminar along with other experts spanning domains of ecology, water resource management, international relations, environmental law, engineering, policy formulation, governance, and economy. The seminar sought to foster a collaborative dialogue between governmental agencies, civil society organisations, environmental practitioners, and academicians on the immense challenges posed by the proposed dam in Tibet amidst the looming threat of climate change.

Towards sharing best practices from the Mekong region, the seminar featured a conversation between the chairman of the Brahmaputra board and Dr. Truong Hong Tien, Deputy Director General, Viet Nam National Mekong Committee, which was moderated by former Secretary (East) at the MEA, Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das.

Asian Confluence Director Dr Sabyasachi Dutta said the need of the hour is to have more scientific studies initiated by India so that the issue is not carried away by simple media narratives. “Only such an initiative will help develop solid ground for international support against China’s proposed dam at the Big Bend,” he said.

Expert on Asian politics and history Bertil Linter highlighted how the Chinese invasion into the Tibetan region in the late 1950s was specifically targeted at the numerous mega rivers which originate in the “Roof of the World”. “China has constructed 11 mega dams only on the Mekong River, which is the lifeline of five other countries,” he said. He also underlined the need for India to have a water-sharing agreement with China, the lack of which may lead to “bilateral conflicts” between the two neighbours.

 Also read: Guwahati: Seminar on Brahmaputra dam will be held on April 8

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