India flags concern over China’s mega dam plan

New Delhi India on Friday flagged its concern about China’s plan to build a mega dam on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra river and the creation of two counties in an illegally occupied section of Ladakh, with the external affairs ministry saying these matters have been formally taken up with Beijing. India flags concern over China’s mega dam plan The strong reaction from New Delhi came a little more than two months after the two countries reached an understanding in October on disengagement of front line forces at the two remaining “friction points” Demchok and Depsang on the Line of Actual Control. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to a report by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency on December 25 about the plan to build a hydropower project on Yarlung Tsangpo river in the Tibet Autonomous Region, and said the matter was taken up with Beijing to emphasise the need for consultations with downstream countries. He said, “As a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, we have consistently expressed, through expert-level as well as diplomatic channels, our views and concerns to the Chinese side over mega projects on rivers in their territory.” India’s concerns were reiterated following the latest report, “along with need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries”, Jaiswal said.