India on Tuesday said an ongoing Chinese project to dam the Brahmaputra river in Tibet would not affect downstream supplies in the country's northeastern regions.
The foreign minister, SM Krishna, confirmed China was going ahead with the controversial construction of the dam on Yarlung Tsango river, as the Brahmaputra is called in Tibet.
'We have ascertained from our own sources that this is a run of the river hydro-electric project which does not store water and will not adversely impact downstream areas in India,' Krishna told reporters in New Delhi.
'I believe there is no cause for immediate alarm,' he added. 'It is important
that states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam
harness and utilise the waters of Brahmaputra. This is a really a very important issue.'
The Brahmaputra is a lifeline to some of India's remote, farm-dependent northeastern states.
Some Indian experts have warned the cross-border dam could drain water from the river, which sustains the livelihood of millions of in Assam.
China after launching its construction in November 2010 assured that it took 'full consideration of the potential impact on the downstream area'.
Source: New Age
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