Exclusive-China’s new mega dam triggers fears of water war in India

By Sarita Chaganti Singh and Krishna N. Das

Parong is afraid that a Chinese mega-Dami planned in India (Reuters)-Tibet, Tibet, will reduce the water flows in a large river up to 85% in dry season, and according to a government analysis of four sources and Reuters, it allows him to make quick plans for his own dams to alleviate the effects of Delhi.

The Indian government is thinking of projects to control the flow of water from the Angi glacier of Tibet, which has been maintaining more than 100 million people in China, India and Bangladesh since the early 2000s. However, the plans were blocked by severe and sometimes severe resistance of Arunachal Pradesh’s border state residents, who were afraid that their villages were submerged and destroyed by any dam.

Later, in December, China announced that it would build the world’s largest hydroelectric dam in a border district just before the Yarlung Zangbo River moved to India. This was afraid that the strategic opponent, who has long been a regional allegations in Arunaçhal Pradesh in the new Delhi, could argue river control, known as Siang and Brahmaputra in India, caused by Angi glacier.

In May, the largest hydroelectric company in India carried survey materials under armed police protection near a possible area of ​​the upper Siang multi -purpose storage dam, which would be the largest dam of the country if it was completed. As one of the two sources speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive government issues, senior Indian officials are organizing meetings on the construction of construction this year, including one of the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July.

Delhi’s concerns were announced in the analysis of the undated Indian government, supported by Reuters for the first time, the effects of the Chinese dam, which were supported by four sources.

Beijing did not publish detailed plans on the construction of the dam, but the Analysis Central Central Water Commission has been the expected size of the Chinese project, which was carried out by institutions affiliated to the Indian government, which prepares the ground in July and cost about $ 170 billion.

Delhi predicts that the Chinese dam will allow Beijing to direct more than one third of those who have been taken at an important border point every year, according to resources of 40 billion cubic meters or resources and documents. The effect will be particularly acute in non -Monsoon months when temperatures increase and the soils become infertile in India’s areas.

The Upper Siang project would allow India to leave water in the dry season with its prescribed 14 BCM storage capacity. This may mean that the Great Regional Guwahati city, which depends on the water intensive industry and farming, will see a decrease in 11% supply if the Indian dam is not built according to resources and documents.

Sources said the project could reduce any movement by Beijing to release destructive water torrents in the downflow.

If the dam is at the minimum level of drawing in less than 50% of the height of the water, it can completely absorb excess water released from a violation in Chinese infrastructure according to the document and sources. Two of the sources consider the proposal to keep 30% of the dam empty at any time to take into account India’s unexpected fluctuations.

In response to Reuters’ questions, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said that hydroelectric projects “have been subjected to meticulous scientific research on security and environmental protection and will not adversely affect water resources, ecology or geology of downward countries.”

“China has always maintained a responsible attitude towards the development and use of restricted rivers, and has continued its long -term communication and cooperation with downward countries such as India and Bangladesh.”

Modi’s office and Indian ministries responsible for water and external affairs did not answer the questions of Reuters. The state’s hydroelectric great NHPC did not request a comment.

The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that S. Jaishankar S. Jaishankar expressed concerns about the dam during a meeting with a Chinese colleague on 18 August.

India is accused of armed water by Pakistan, a Chinese ally, a Chinese ally in May. This year, Delhi suspended his participation in the 1960 water sharing agreement with Islamabad and is considering directing flows from another important river away from the downflow neighbor.

An international court decided that India had to comply with the agreement, but the Delhi panel said it did not have the jurisdiction.

Development or destruction?

When the NHPC workers moved the survey materials near Parong village in May, the angry locals damaged their machines, destroyed a nearby bridge and looted the tents of the police sent to protect the operation.

Many are members of the ordinary community of Arunachal, who lives from paddy, orange and sweet lime farms in the valleys fed by Sisli hills and in the valleys fed by Siang.

The villagers created temporary clock publications on regional roads to reject access to NHPC workers. This was often forced to reach the miles under the night cover to reach a possible area of ​​the dam.

According to two sources, at least 16 names are likely to lose the village to the storage area of ​​the dam and directly affect the estimated 10,000 people. Community leaders say more than 100,000 people will generally be affected.

Odoni Palo Pabin, whose name is Grocery and two mothers, said, “Cardule, paddy, jackfruit and pears, which we grew up in this land, help to educate our children and support our family.” “We will fight the dam to death.”

The dam has the support of Arunachal’s prime minister, a member of Modi’s party and called an existential threat to the Chinese project.

“It will provide water safety and will provide flood control against any potential water fluctuations,” the project said.

Deputy Alo Libang, a name representing an area to be sunk by the Indian project, said the locals believe that if they get generous compensation, they could be convinced to act if they get generous compensation.

NHPC plans to spend more than $ 3 million on training and emergency infrastructure to encourage the villagers to move to another place by referring to the instructions from Modi’s office.

In a sign of progress, three villages in the region recently agreed to allow NHPC officials to work on the dam, according to the Arunaçhal government and dozens of indigenous people.

India has the history of activist movements against large dams that sometimes slow these projects or forcing them to scaling them.

Even if the upper Siang dam progresses, according to four sources, it may take ten years to be built after breaking down. This means that the project will probably be completed after China’s project, which Beijing expects to produce power from mid -2030s to the middle.

The delay means that if Beijing suddenly releases water suddenly during the monsoon season, it means that an Indian project will be vulnerable during construction by triggering a fluctuation that can wash temporary dams.

International experts and their activists have warned that building large dams in active Tibet and Arunachal can increase risks for downward communities.

Syanangshu Modak at the University of India-China at the University of Arizona, China is being built in the high-sismine area and in an area of ​​excessive weather events, “he said.

“Such weather events are triggered by landslides, mud slipping, glacier lake explosion floods.” He said. “Thus, he brings concerns about the safety of the dam … This is a very legitimate concern and India should interact with China.”

(Reporting by Krishna N. Das in Sarita Chaganti Singh in the New Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh; by Laurie Chen Beijing and David Stanway;