From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Upper Siang; Brahmaputra River; Three Gorges Dam
Why in the News?
China has announced the construction of world’s largest dam on the Brahmaputra River (known as Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet), sparking concerns in India and Bangladesh, the lower riparian states.
About the Dam
- This project is part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and its long-term development strategy through 2035.
- The dam will be constructed in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, near the Indian border.
- It is situated at a massive gorge in the Himalayas, where the river takes a U-turn to flow into Arunachal Pradesh and then to Bangladesh.
- Its investment exceeds $137 billion, dwarfing any other infrastructure project, including China’s Three Gorges Dam.
| Three Gorges Dam: It is a hydroelectric gravity dam that spans the Yangtze River near Sandouping in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, central China, downstream of the Three Gorges. |
What are the concerns associated with the Dam Construction?
- Geopolitical Control: China’s ability to regulate water flow raises fears of disruption and misuse during conflicts.
- Environmental Impact: Risks to biodiversity, sediment flow, and downstream ecosystems in a fragile Himalayan zone.
- Seismic Hazards: The dam’s location on a tectonic plate boundary increases earthquake risks.
- Livelihood Disruption: Potential harm to agriculture, fishing, and local communities dependent on the river.
- Transparency Issues: Limited data sharing and unilateral decisions heighten distrust among riparian states.
PYQ:[2011] The Brahmaputra, Irrawady and Mekong rivers originate in Tibet and flow it through narrow and parallel mountain ranges in their upper reaches. Of these rivers, Brahmaputra makes a “U” turn in its course to flow into India. This “U” turn is due to: (a) Uplift of folded Himalayan series (b) Syntaxial bending of geologically young Himalayas (c) Geo-tectonic disturbance in the tertiary folded mountain chains (d) Both (A) and (B) above |
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