New satellite photography has revealed that China is constructing a new dam in Tibet on a Ganga tributary, not far from the trijunction of its borders with India and Nepal, which might be used to regulate the flow of water downstream.
source: hindustan timeThe development follows China’s announcement of plans to erect a super dam on the lower levels of the Yarlung Zangbo river, which empties into Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang and subsequently into Assam as the Brahmaputra, not far from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Tibet. Furthermore, it happens at a time when satellite images reveal that China has significantly increased the building of military and dual-use facilities, as well as towns, in the eastern and western sectors of the LAC. Damien Symon, a geospatial intelligence researcher at Intel Lab, released satellite photographs on Thursday showing earth development and dam construction activity carried out by the Chinese side on the Mabja Zangbo river in Burang county of Tibet from May 2021. The Chinese side has claimed the two countries should advance their relations while putting the border issue in its proper place, but the Indian leadership has maintained that the entire relationship with China cannot be normalised without peace and tranquilly on the LAC. According to Sameer Patil, senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), China is clearly attempting to enhance its current infrastructure with the new dam, much as it did with the Yarlung Zangbo river dam. Given Tibet’s delicate environment, this will undoubtedly have an impact on India’s water security and worsen already tense bilateral relations, he warned. Share your thoughts on this.
