NEW DELHI, Dec 1 - The Centre today said it continues to carefully monitor the water flow in river Brahmaputra for early detection of any abnormality.
The government is working in close cooperation with various state governments which use the waters of the Brahmaputra, to ensure that corrective and preventive measures are taken to safeguard livelihood of peoples of these states.
In a Rajya Sabha reply, Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar said various issues relating to trans-border rivers, including construction of hydropower dams, are being discussed with China under the ambit of India-China Expert Level Mechanism, which was established in 2006. The 10th meeting of the Mechanism was held in New Delhi in April last.
The Government of India, under the MoU on Strengthening Cooperation on Trans-border Rivers signed in October 2013, obtains hydrological data from China on the Brahmaputra. This arrangement has been useful in preventing damage during the flood season.
As a lower riparian State with considerable established user rights to the waters of the river, India has conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, including at the highest levels of the government of the People�s Republic of China. India has urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas.
In September, the Chinese authorities announced blocking of a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) river as part of a hydel project. The project, called the Lalho Project, is based on the Xiabuqu river in Xigaze (Tibet Autonomous Region). China�s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that the reservoir capacity of the project is less than 0.02 per cent of the average annual runoff of the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra).
�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. We intend to remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interests,� Akbar said.
