Anticipating the threat of “water wars” owing to the Chinese dams being built around the Northeast borders, India has initiated an 11,000-megawatt hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri. This is the biggest hydroelectric project in the country so far, the Times of India reported.
As per government sources, the main cause behind the rising concern in India is the 60,000-megawatt Chinese project planned at the borders of Arunachal on Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra).
“India too needs its counter-contingency plans on a mission mode, which is why the Arunachal Pradesh projects are being expedited," a senior government official told the publication.
The Indian government is looking at this project as a threat due to various reasons, water scarcity in case China decides to divert the water, floods that may affect lakhs of Arunachal and Assam citizens if China suddenly releases water, environmental issues etc.
Sources also say that upon completion of the dam, China may divert the water of Brahmaputra.
Brahmaputra is an essential water resource for India accounting for nearly 30 per cent of freshwater resources and 40 per cent of hydropower potential. However, almost 50 per cent of the Brahmaputra basin falls in the Chinese territory. Therefore, the overdrive of hydroelectric projects in the Northeast, especially in Arunachal Pradesh is seen as a strategic counter to the intimidation of Chinese flow diversion.
Experts have said that China may use the dam that it is planning to build on Medog, an area very close to Arunachal Pradesh as a political tool. With China hovering on the borders of the country, the dam has now become a national issue.
Despite China’s constant dismissal of India's fears, officials believe that trusting Beijing’s claims would be naive.
The hydroelectric project is expected to help with the issue of water scarcity in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam along with tackling flood hazards. Moreover, sources believe that with the 11,000 MV dam, the adversity of Chinese dams will be diminished. Moreover, the dam will also yield fresh opportunities for employment and improve the livelihood in the state