Chinese authorities have begun construction on what will be the world’s largest hydroelectric dam in Tibet, a project that has sparked concerns in India and Bangladesh, the BBC reports.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the dam took place on the 19th of July. The Brahmaputra, which is initially planned to be dammed, flows through the Tibetan plateau and crosses the territories of several South Asian countries, and the project has already drawn criticism for its potential impact on downstream people and the environment in the immediate vicinity of the dam.
Beijing has said that environmental protection will be a priority during the project, and that it will bring prosperity to local residents. The Motuo Dam will be the largest in the world and will be able to generate three times more electricity than the Three Gorges Dam.
Experts and officials have expressed concern that the dam will give China enormous power over a river that is vital to a vast region. A 2020 study by the Australian think tank Lowy Institute found that
such a large dam would effectively give China power over India’s economy.
Officials have expressed concern that the dam could both reduce the flow of water downstream and, if the dam were to be opened suddenly, create a “water bomb” that could devastate a vast area.
In January, a spokesman for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern about China’s projects and called for action to be taken to ensure that downstream countries are not harmed. China has previously told India that it has the legal right to build the dam and has considered the impact on downstream populations. Bangladesh has also expressed objections.
China has long looked to Tibet for new sources of hydropower. The site under consideration for the dam is located in a very deep and long canyon where the river makes a sharp bend. It is reported that several 20-kilometer-long tunnels are planned to be built to divert the water flow. The Chinese government has announced that this is a project from which everyone will benefit – clean, pollution-free energy will be produced, and rural areas of Tibet will experience economic growth. Meanwhile, activists point out that the dams are an example of China exploiting Tibet’s resources. Any protests have been suppressed in the past.
Last year, the Chinese government identified hundreds of Tibetans who participated in a protest against the construction of another dam. This was followed by arrests and physical confrontations with the protestors.
There are also concerns that flooding the valleys of Tibet will destroy the biodiversity. Doubts have also been raised about the safety of the dam in a place where seismic activity is high.
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