China plan allays India's fears

NEW DELHI: Amid growing concerns about the 24 projects on the Brahmaputra river undertaken by Beijing and their implications for the lower riparian states like Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, the Yarlong Tsangpo Grand Canyon -- considered the deepest in the world -- that is being developed as a tourist attraction has come as a major relief for India. New Delhi is looking at China's move almost as a guarantee that there is no immediate danger of losing 78 billion cubic metres (BCM) of Tsangpo water.
Earlier, China had declared that Yarlong Tsangpo Grand Canyon National Reservation would be established to showcase to tourists the wide bio-diversity of the canyon which, being slightly longer than the Grand Canyon, is among the largest in the world and boasts of unique flora and fauna.
The announcement has allayed India's apprehensions, which were heightened by some earlier reports that China had conducted feasibility studies for a possible diversion of Tsangpo water elsewhere in the country to set up power plants. The health of the river near the Great Bend would obviously be of paramount importance for the national reserve.
"Even though Tsangpo flows through China for more than 1500 km, it is barely a trickle by the time it enters India. The 24 projects upstream are mostly for hydel power generation. There is no imminent danger of the volume of the Brahmaputra water being reduced. Moreover as they are beautifying the region near the Great Bend of Tsangpo and trying to popularise it as a tourist destination, it is also in their interest that the river remains in good health there," explained a senior official in the Union ministry of water resources.
He added that most of the projects are small in capacity. "There won't be any dam except in Zangmu, where a 450-mw power station is being built. Essentially they will use the gradient -- the average height of Tsangpo is 4000m -- to generate power without affecting on the whole the flow of the river, or its volume that isn't much," the official added.
The rain-fed river assumes mighty proportions during its course in India. While, the river that enters Bangladesh boasts of 628 BCM of water.
Officials in the ministry also pointed out to China's "very efficient" data- sharing mechanism in case of both the Brahmaputra and Sutlej. "During monsoon, the emails come twice daily on the dot at the appointed hour and are usually very specific. We analyse it and when required also send alerts to Pakistan since it concerns Sutlej," said an official.