if the dams are built on the mighty river?  

The people of the India’s northeastern region and part of neighbouring Bangladesh remain concerned about the availability of the water from the mighty Brahmaputra and its tributaries despite an agreement signed by the two countries during the recent visit of the Chinese Prime Minister.

The Brahmaputra is not only a river which has inspired innumerable poets, lyrists, ballads, including Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, writers and other artistes to create immortal creations but the river and its tributaries and branches are closely linked with the region’s agro based economy and its socio cultural heritage over time immemorial.

Hence, the Chinese attempt over the years to divert the river’s water has caused much concern in the North East. There is no denying the fact that the population of the two countries is increasing rapidly and demand for water is also rising. But that does not justify China’s persistent efforts to divert the water resources of the Brahmaputra River away from India. The situation in the region that has remained tense since the 1962 Indo-China war will worsen if China succeeds in this aim.

China watchers know that the Asian giant is only interested in expanding its economic hegemony and nothing else at all cost. Hence, New Delhi should have devoted more time to discuss the river water dispute more sincerely.

As we know the Brahmaputra River flows 2,900 km from its source in the Kailas range of the Himalayas in Tibet under China to its massive delta and the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. It flows through China, India, and Bangladesh, but its watershed includes Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma as well. The river drops steeply from the heights of the Tibetan Plateau through the world’s deepest valley estimated at 5,075m into North East India where the river eventually merges with the Ganga and the Meghna rivers to form the largest river delta in the world spread over 60,000km. The Brahmaputra basin covers 651,334 km, 58 per cent of which is in India and 20 per cent China. It is heartening therefore that these two countries have agreed to co-operate in resolving the dispute related to the Brahmaputra water. They have agreed to further strengthen cooperation in trans-border rivers, even as the two countries discussed the possibility of developing the infrastructure to link the northeastern region of India with Bangladesh, Myanmar, China and other countries in the South East Asian region.

The maiden whirlwind tour of the Chinese Prime Minister to India being described as ‘very useful, significant and substantive’, focused on a host of issues from defence cooperation, boundary disputes and sharing of hydrological data to market economy. Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Chinese Premier held a formal bilateral dialogue on the 19th of May, 2013 before eight MoUs (Memorandum of Understandings) were signed. The Prime Minister had hosted a private dinner for his Chinese counterpart and President Pranab Mukherjee hosted a banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

However, analysts say that India failed to get any concrete assurance from Beijing regarding the establishment of a legal framework on sharing water. New Delhi seemed to be content with China’s assurance and expressed appreciation to China for offering to provide flood-season hydrological data and assistance in emergency management.

A  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Water Resources of India and the Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China on sharing of hydrological information of the Yaluzangbu-Brahmaputra River during the flood season by China to India. According to the terms of the agreement, China will provide India with information of water level, discharge and rainfall of 8 am and 8 pm at Beijing Time twice a day from June 1 to October 15 every year regarding three hydrological stations on the mainstream Brahmaputra River.

“The two sides will further strengthen cooperation in the trans-border rivers. They agreed to cooperate through the Expert Level Mechanism on provision of flood-season hydrological data and emergency management, and exchange views on other issues of mutual interest,” a joint statement issued at the end of the bilateral dialogue said.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, making a brief statement to the media said that he had also brought to the notice of his Chinese counterpart  India’s concerns about the effects on lower riparian activities in the upper reaches of the shared rivers. “It would be useful for the mandate of our Expert Level Mechanism to be expanded to include information sharing on upstream development projects on these rivers. I am glad that we have agreed to expand cooperation on trans-border rivers. It would also be useful for India and China to collaborate on a better understanding of the stresses on our shared Himalayan ecosystem,” he suggested. No one can call in question the good intentions of the Prime Minister and his confidence.

Everybody will be in agreement with the Prime Minister when he says that the rapid development of economies has opened up new opportunities for economic cooperation bilaterally  in the region and globally  which our Strategic Economic Dialogue will identify and explore. “We have also discussed the possibility of infrastructure development to link India’s northeastern region with Bangladesh, Myanmar, China and other countries in the south East Asian region,” Dr. Singh said.

It is now public knowledge that in 2003, scientists from the China Water Conservancy and Hydropower Planning and Designing Institute organized a feasibility study for a major hydropower project along the section of the Brahmaputra River which flows through China. This section of the river which flows into India and Bangladesh has a water energy reserve of about 68 million kilowatt, or 1/10th of the national total. Some scientists say that if successful, this project would divert 200 billion cubic meters of water annually to the Yellow River. Although highly beneficial to Chinese interests, the effects on India and Bangladesh will be devastating. Environmental experts report that roughly 60 per cent of the total water flow will fall drastically if China is successful in constructing these dams on the Brahmaputra.

Taking the concern about the construction of three dams on the trans border rivers into consideration, the Government of India should have been more vocal about taking up the issue with the Chinese leaders along with other issues including according the topmost priority to increase bilateral trade to 100 billion US Dollars by 2015 from the existing 27 Billion US Dollars and co-operation on the maintenance of peace and tranquility on the LAC.

China watchers know that the Asian giant is only interested in expanding its economic hegemony and nothing else at all cost. Hence, New Delhi should have devoted more time to discuss the river water dispute more sincerely. We Indians should not be forgetful of the fact that China is a hard nut to crack and its territorial disputes with neighbours remain unresolved. China’s effort to redirect the flow of a river which provides the base for agrarian life in its neighboring countries is a provocative move as some sinologists says.

Anyway, it will be appreciated that the ecological, agricultural and other experts concerned with water resource in the North East are associated in the implementation of the accord with Beijing since they enjoy the confidence of the people from the North East part of India.

PK Chakravarty