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China dams worry Delhi
India asks its Beijing mission for details of Brahmaputra ‘diversion’
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, June 13
China’s reported plan to divert the Brahmaputra from its upper reaches has raised the heckles of the Indian establishment which has sought details about the project from its embassy in Beijing.

“We are trying to get more details both from the government and our mission and then depending upon the report that we get, we will be able to make an assessment and take appropriate diplomatic steps,” External Affairs Minister SM Krishna told reporters here.

Official sources said India had been in touch over the matter with China, which, in turn, said the projects on the Brahmaputra would not affect the flow of the river into India.

“We have been in touch with the Chinese side and the matter has been discussed with them on more than one occasion,” the sources said. The sources said the government verified every report on the Brahmaputra issue and had so far found no evidence on any diversion of the course of the river.

“There is nothing to indicate to that effect,” they said, when asked whether satellite imageries have found any change in the course of the river in China. The sources pointed out that India had a good architecture of dialogue with China on almost all issues, including trade, border, economic cooperation and consular matters.

Asked why India and China could not have a water treaty on the lines of the one India had with Pakistan, the sources explained that the two countries already have a mechanism for meetings of experts on water issues.

The Brahmaputra flows for about 1,625 km inside the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and for a further 918 km inside India. This is not the first time that tension appears to be building up between India and China over Brahmputra projects, which could affect the flow of water into India.

While Beijing last year announced the construction of a $ 1.2-billion hydel power project on the Brahmaputra (known as Yarlung Tsangpo in China), it maintains that this project will not impact the flow of water to downstream countries like India and Bangladesh. While the run of the river Zangmu dam is meant to deal with shortage of power in Tibet, China is said to be also considering diverting the waters in the upper reaches towards Xinjiang.

Experts in China have come up with a new proposal, separate from the earlier approved western canal plan, which seeks to divert water towards the northwest. Unlike the earlier plan, the proposal is likely to slow down the flow of the Brahmaputra, especially in the lean season.

The BJP was quick to react to these reports and demanded that if there is fresh evidence of China’s intentions then India should immediately take up this matter with the neighbouring country.

“These reports are of real concern to India. Since the last two years, there are reports that China wants to divert Brahmaputra waters from the Himalayas. If it is diverted, we will have real problems which will affect the economy of the whole region,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

The BJP MP had raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha last year. “The government had said it has taken up this issue with Chinese authorities.... If there is fresh evidence (of China diverting the waters) then we must immediately take up this issue with China,” Javadekar said.

River Rumbles