China has approved the construction of the world's largest dam and world’s biggest infra project in Medog region of Tibet.
- The dam is over three times the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam (currently the world’s largest, in central China).
Project Overview
- Location: Lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River (Tibetan name for Brahmaputra) at a huge gorge in the Himalayan reaches where river makes a huge U-turn to flow into Arunachal Pradesh.
- Stated Purpose: To support China’s carbon neutrality goals, boost industries, and create jobs in Tibet.
Concerns Associated with the Dam Construction
- Engineering Challenges: Tibetan plateau, regarded as the roof of the world, frequently experiences earthquakes as it is located over the tectonic plates.
- Environmental Impact: Potential disruption to local ecology and downstream water flow. Risk of altering the river’s course, affecting agriculture and biodiversity.
- Geopolitical Risks: India and Bangladesh fear China’s ability to control water flow—concerns about the dam’s use to release excess water during conflicts, causing floods.
China and India have established Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to address trans-border river issues under which China provides India with hydrological data on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers during flood seasons. India is also building its hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh.
