Himanta Biswas Sarma, chief minister of Assam, expressed grave worries over China’s plan to build a huge dam on the Brahmaputra. Noting that it will have disastrous effects on the ecosystem of the river and the Northeast’s water supply.
Sarma further emphasized how delicate the ecosystem of the Brahmaputra is. Because of the dam’s upstream location, it might become highly dependent on rainfall from Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan.
The largest dam in the world is estimated to cost $137 billion. It was recently permitted by China to be built on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet near the Indian border.
Beijing has defended its plan, claiming that safety concerns have been studied for decades and that the project won’t “negatively affect” lower riparian states. India, however, is concerned about it for a number of important reasons.
For millions of people in Bangladesh and the northeastern provinces of India. The Brahmaputra River—known as Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet—is their lifeline. China would have considerable control over the river’s water flow with a dam of this size.Â
This increases concerns about possible dry season water shortages and agricultural problems in downstream nations. Because of its size and scope. It may also allow Beijing to flood border areas during times of conflict by releasing enormous amounts of water.
The proposed dam may increase the likelihood of flash floods. Especially during the monsoon season, according to experts. Large-scale destruction could result from the dam’s abrupt release of water. That could overwhelm river systems downstream.
The construction and operation of a dam this size would have a significant impact on the environment. Among the main worries are the displacement of local residents. The disruption of delicate ecosystems, and potential damage to the biodiversity of the area.
