BEIJING, Nov 17 � The Chinese company, which is constructing a 510 MW hydropower station on Brahmaputra river in Tibet, today said the project will not reduce water flows downstream as feared by countries like India.
Damming of the river began on November 12, marking the formal start of construction of the 7.9-billion-yuan Zangmu Hydropower Station.
The move has caused concern in the downstream countries, including India, who fear the project will disrupt water flows.
�The river will not be stopped during construction,� said Li Chaoyi, chief engineer of China Huaneng Group, the prime contractor for the project.
�After it becomes operational, the river water will flow downstream through water turbines and sluices. So the water volume downstream will not be cut,� he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
Li said environment protection would be a top priority in the construction and operation.
Zangmu Hydropower Station, with six 85-Megawatt power generating units, is a key project under China�s ambitious plan for Tibet�s development.
The issue of the dam figured high in the fourth round of the India-China strategic dialogue held between Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun here.
�The Brahmaputra dam issue was raised by me. I was reassured by the Vice-Minister that it was not a project designed to divert the water and affect the welfare and availability of water to the countries in the lower reaches,� Rao told Indian media after her four-and-a-half-hour talks.
�It is a power project. It is not going to affect people in lower reaches. China is cooperating with India on hydrological data which is going on since 2003. The Chinese Minister said China would continue to do so,� she said. � PTI
