NEW DELHI, Dec 3 - India on Thursday said that it has taken note of reports of China building a hydropower project on the Brahmaputra and carefully monitoring all developments on the river.
Briefing newsmen here, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesman Anurag Srivastava said, �We have taken note of some media reports in this regard. The government carefully monitors all developments on the Brahmaputra river.�
As a lower riparian State with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, the 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 river... Various issues relating to the trans-border rivers are discussed with China under the ambit of an institutionalised Expert Level Mechanism which was established in 2006, as well as through diplomatic channels. We intend to remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interest,� the spokesman said.
PTI adds: China on Thursday played down its plan to build a major dam in the lower reaches of the Brahmaputra river in Tibet, saying there is no need to have �any anxiety� over the project and Beijing will continue to have �good communication� with lower riparian states � India and Bangladesh.
China�s plan to build the dam over Brahmaputra river, reportedly at Medog in Tibet, which borders Arunachal Pradesh, was disclosed by Yan Zhiyong, chairman of the Power Construction Corp of China, at a conference recently.
Asked about China�s plans to build the dam over the river near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Arunachal Pradesh where the Brahmaputra enters India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing that the �hydropower development in the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo river is China�s legitimate right. When it comes to use and development of cross border rivers, China always acts responsibly.�
