CHINA today defended its decision to build a dam on the Brahmaputra river in Tibet, amid concerns it could disrupt water supplies downstream in India and harm ecosystems.
“In the development of cross-border water resources, China has always had a responsible attitude and places equal emphasis on development and protection,” foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.
He added China took “full consideration of the potential impact on the downstream area.”
Chinese authorities officially started construction of the dam in Tibet last Friday (November 12), state media reported.
The Global Times said it would be the first “mega hydroelectric power plant on the Tibetan plateau,” and feature six 85-megawatt power-generating units aimed at curbing power shortages in Tibet.
The project is expected to cost nearly $1.2bn (£750m), it said.
But it has stoked concern in India, which worries about the possible impact downstream if the annual flow of water is diverted or reduced.
The project has also triggered fears over the environmental impact along the river, which starts high up on the Tibetan plateau and flows east and south in a wide arc before flowing into India, Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal.
“The diversified fauna and flora there have evolved over tens of millions of years and will be damaged,” the Global Times report quoted Wang Yongchen, the founder of Beijing-based Green Earth Volunteers, as saying.
China’s many massive dam projects – built to meet soaring demand for water and electricity – have long been a source of controversy.
Critics say they often cause huge environmental problems and do little to control floods, while millions of people are displaced to make way for projects that are often riddled with corruption.
Earlier this year, Chinese dams were accused of channelling water away from the upper reaches of the Mekong River and contributing to the waterway’s record-low levels – a charge Beijing has dismissed.
