The government today said it has urged China to ensure that its activities in the upstream areas of Brahmaputra do not harm the interests of Indian states downstream.
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat said that the recently released 'Outline of the 12th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China' indicates that three more hydropower projects on mainstream Brahmaputra in Tibet autonomous region have been approved for implementation by Chinese authorities.
He said a hydropower project in Zangmu is under construction.
"Government of India monitors developments on the Brahmaputra river. As a lower riparian state India has conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, including at the highest levels. India has urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas," Rawat said.
He said during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to China in October, both governments signed an MoU on strengthening cooperation on trans border rivers.
