New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu voiced concerns over China’s planned hydropower dam in Tibet, warning it could be weaponised as a “water bomb.” He highlighted the potential ecological and humanitarian consequences for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bangladesh.
The dam, slated to be the largest in eastern Tibet, would generate 60,000 MW of power on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which becomes the Siang and Brahmaputra Rivers. Khandu warned of potential catastrophic consequences for the Adi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh and millions downstream in Assam and Bangladesh.
” This is a big threat and, if China uses this as a water bomb, the Adi tribe that we have in the Siang belt will disappear and lakhs of people will lose their lives in Assam… it will go till Bangladesh,” chief minister told reporters after the event.
Khandu stressed the urgency of India’s Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (11,000 MW) for national water security, given China’s “expansionist theory” and disregard for natural resources in Tibet. While acknowledging diplomatic efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs, he emphasised the need for preparedness.
” We promote peace and non-violence and want good relations but, given the history, can we rely on China? That is a big question mark. Look at their expansionist theory, their overexploitation of natural resources in Tibet and their recent declaration of ‘counties’ including parts of Ladakh,” he said.
The dam gives China control over downstream water flow, threatening drought during lean periods and severe flooding during monsoons. Altered sediment flow would also impact agriculture.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma previously expressed similar concerns, stating the dam would render the Brahmaputra ecosystem fragile and overly reliant on Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh rainwater. He confirmed India had communicated its concerns to China.
“As far as we are concerned, we have already communicated that if this dam comes up, the Brahmaputra ecosystem will become completely fragile, it will become dry and we will only depend on the rainwater of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh,” Sarma had said.
“The Government of India has already communicated its concern to the Chinese side. And I am sure that in the dialogue process which is presently going on between India and China, this will be definitely raised by the Indian side,” he had added.
