India expressed concerns to China on Friday over a massive hydroelectric dam project in Tibet’s Brahmaputra River, which New Delhi said could have serious consequences for downstream regions of India and Bangladesh. .
This project – mentioned in December by the official Chinese agency Xinhua as a way for Beijing to reduce its carbon footprint while promoting the economic development of Tibet – would eclipse the monumental Three Gorges Dam, which is located in central China.
China was requested to ensure that the interests of the States located downstream of the Brahmaputra
that is to say India and Bangladesh, do not suffer any harm from upstream activities
declared the spokesperson for the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal.
New Delhi will be attentive to this matter and will take the necessary measures to protect [ses] interests
assured Mr. Jaiswal to journalists.
For comparison…
The installed capacity of the Trois-Gorges hydroelectric complex is 22,500 megawatts (MW), while that of the La Grande complex in Baie-James, in Quebec, is 15,800 MW.
L’Inde a constantly
expressed his point of view and his concerns
regarding the megaprojects on waterways
in Chinese territory, said the spokesperson, emphasizing the need for transparency and consultation with downstream states
.
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The Three Gorges Dam is considered the largest hydroelectric dam in the world based on its installed capacity.
Photo : iStock
Through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China assured in December that the Tibetan dam project, which aims to accelerate the development of clean energy and fight climate change
would not have no negative downstream effects
.
In the past, environmental defenders have warned of the potentially irreversible consequences of projects of this type on the fragile ecosystems of the Tibetan plateau.
The two Asian rivals, India and China, share thousands of kilometers of contested borders, defended on both sides by tens of thousands of soldiers.