New Delhi, Dec 3 (UNI) Amidst the media reports of China building dam on Brahmaputra river, India on Thursday said it intend to remain engaged with Beijing on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard its interests.
“We have taken note of some media reports in this regard. Government carefully monitors all developments on the Brahmaputra River,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during virtual weekly press briefing here on Thursday.
As a lower riparian State with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, Government has consistently conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities and has urged them to ensure that the interests of downstream States are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas, he said.
“The Chinese side has conveyed to us on several occasions that they are only undertaking run-of-the-river hydropower projects which do not involve diversion of the waters of the Brahmaputra,” Mr Srivastava said.
Various issues relating to trans-border rivers are discussed with China under the ambit of an institutionalized Expert Level Mechanism which was established in 2006, as well as through diplomatic channels, he added.
China is building a dam on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
China has finalised initial plans to build a “super” dam on the lower reaches of the river in Medog county of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), in a move that could have a far-reaching impact on northeastern India’s water security.
