Geoscience Reference
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South Asia. Should China be the lone stakeholder to the fate of waters in
Tibet? What happens in the lower riparian nations that depend heavily on
these rivers? (Sinha 2010). China has a robust glaciological program and
knows fairly well how long snow/ice resources will last. Therefore, they
have embarked on integrated water resource management (IWRM) of all
the rivers emanating from Tibetan Plateau. Rivers diversion projects, if
implemented, will have enormous ecological issues for all lower riparian
countries.
Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo) River
China aims to build 59 reservoirs on Tibetan Plateau to save glacier runoff.
Construction is in full swing at Zangmu for a 540 MW run of the river
power project and feasibility studies have been completed to construct
fi ve more similar projects further upstream on Yarlung Tsangpo. Tapping
the power of the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra for Indians) River as it bends and
plunges from the Himalayan roof of the world down towards Indian and
Bangladeshi fl ood plains has long been a dream of Chinese politicians and
hydro-engineers (Peoples Daily 2009). Metog will be site of a mega project
at a huge bend inside Canyon which is about 3.1 mile deep and 198 miles in
length. This will involve construction of a series of tunnels, pipes, reservoirs
and turbines to generate 40,000 MW power and exploit the spectacular 2000
meters fall of the river as it curls down towards India. The water diversion
project was an essential part of the 10th fi ve year plan. The project will cost
62 billion US dollars and water will be diverted through three channels in the
eastern, central and western regions respectively (Tiwari 2010). The entire
staff which constructed the Lhasa-Beijing railway line has been assigned
to this mega project to execute it fast. The project would have ominous
consequences for millions of Indians and Bangladeshi population. Chinese
conservationists have admitted that the canyon is home to more than 60%
biological resources on Tibetan Plateau and many indigenous communities
reside in the canyon.
The Brahmaputra has always been considered the very soul of the
Indian state of Assam as poets and ordinary people alike consider the river
as a part of their folklore and culture. China, in her own interests, could
use the water for power generation as run of the river projects and allow
lower-riparian countries to use water for agricultural purposes during fall
and dry months. The entire NE region of India and Bangladesh would be
starved of nutrient-rich sediments and water which is lifeline for lower
riparian communities.
Chinese scientists hold the view that upstream reservoirs would
alleviate fl oods and erosion in the Brahmaputra. Ironically, this makes
little sense, since fl ooding could actually get worse due to relentless silting
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