China teases India, blocks a Brahmaputra tributary in Tibet to build dam

As India mulls utilizing its full entitlement under Indus Waters Treaty to make Pakistan feel the pinch of its terror policy, China has teased India again in Tibet. China has blocked an important tributary of Brahmaputra river to construct a dam in Tibet.

The state-run news agency of China, Xinhua has reported that China "on Friday blocked a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo (the Tibetan name for Brahmaputra) River as part of its most expensive hydro project." The hydel power project is cause of concern for India as the dam may impact the flow of water into the lower riparian countries including Bangladesh.

"The Lalho project on the Xiabuqu River in Xigaze (which is very close to Sikkim), involves an investment of 4.95 billion yuan (740 million U.S. dollars)," Xinhua reported.

Xigaze is also known as Shigatse and it is from this location Brahmaputra flows into Arunachal Pradesh.

The hydel project was launched in June, 2014 and scheduled to be completed in 2019. Its reservoir was designed to store up to 295 million cubic meters of water, the agency reported.

NOT THE FIRST DAM

This is not the first time that China has tried to alter the flow of rivers, flowing into India. In 2015, China operationlised the largest hydel project in Tibet, Zam Hydropower Station, built on Brahamputra river.

China's first dam on the main upper reaches of the Brahmaputra was built at Zangmu in 2010. The green light was given for three more dams in the 2011-15 five-year plan, on which work is on-going.

Though, China has maintained that its dams are run of the river projects, which are not designed to hold water, India has expressed deep concern over the implementation of the hydel project. The hydropower project on Brahmaputra or its tributaries make the northeastern states vulnerable for both untimely flood and lack of water.

NO WATER TREATY

There is no water treaty between India and China but the two countries have devised an Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) on trans-border rivers. The two governments signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation on trans-border rivers under which Beijing provides data to India on the water flows.

China's decision to block a Brahmaputra tributary came at a time when India has mounted diplomatic and strategic offensive against Pakistan in the aftermath of Uri terror attack, in which 19 jawans lost their lives. China's response to Uri attack and subsequent developments has been very guarded.

Some of the rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty originate in Tibet including Indus and Satluj.

(India Today – Oct 1, 2016)