Dam on Brahmaputra

China must clear the air and win India's trust

Having raised the matter of China’s intention to build a dam across the Brahmaputra (known in China as Yarlong-Zangmu), New Delhi must insist on securing a proper response so that all those dependent on this mighty river are reassured of China’s plans and intentions. That China has been planning to do this as part of its grandiose plan to divert the Brahmaputra waters to the Gobi desert to irrigate the arid northwestern region and to replenish water in the dying Yellow river, which remains dry for most part of the year, has been speculated for a long time. The multi-purpose irrigation-cum-hydropower project being built on the Brahmaputra (Zangmu) at Namcha Barwa on the eastern plateau of Tibet is believed to be part of this massive programme. At least five more dams are said to be either planned or under implementation on this river system at places like Guoduo, Dhongzhong, Ruxi, Linchang and Xiangda. No doubt, it is difficult to verify such reports, but there are several indications, including the Chinese state media reports and the images picked up by the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), which lend credence to these conjectures. Yet, China has continued to maintain that the Zangmu river project would not affect the welfare and availability of water to the population in the lower reaches of the Brahmaputra.

China’s plans for the Brahmaputra are a matter of serious concern for India. A large part of the north-eastern region, more particularly the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and some areas of West Bengal, rely critically on the Brahmaputra for meeting their water needs. From hydrological and ecological standpoint, there is a fear that some part of this region may turn arid or semi-arid if water availability in the Brahmaputra basin ebbs. Millions of farmers will have to do without irrigating their crops. Besides, several species of flora and fauna may face extinction, eroding the rich biodiversity of the region. Worse, the vast hydropower generation potential of the Indian part of the Brahmaputra river system, most of which is yet to be tapped, would be lost forever. This apart, water relocation and engineering activity of this magnitude in the geologically fragile and unstable Himalayan region will greatly enhance the frequency of earthquakes and landslides. Consequently, there is ample justification for the concerns raised by Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and the suggestion that India enter into a bilateral treaty with China on sharing these river waters. The present experts-level mechanism for exchanging hydrological data and flood management, set up by the two countries in 2003, is not enough in the absence of a binding bilateral pact. Such an accord is necessary also because there is neither a multinational convention nor a strictly enforceable international law on apportioning of river water between two or more riparian countries. The United Nations (UN) Convention on non-navigational uses of international watercourses, approved by the UN General Assembly in 1997, provides for equitable and reasonable utilisation of water but without clearly defining what constitutes an equitable use. Thus, river water sharing is an important issue for bilateral discussion. China’s Prime Minister Wen Jiabao would do well to reassure India during his visit this month about China’s plans and seek to win the trust of the Indian people.