Abstract
Barely a week before the end of 2024, Chinese Govt announced its approval for construction of World’s Largest Hydel Power Project in Tibet. The proposed project site is located barely few Kms North of LAC in Siang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh in Great Bend area of River Yarlung Tsangpo (known as Brahmaputra in India & Jamuna in Bangladesh). Environmental and geological controversies associated with the project had been in the public discourse since the days of its conception and initial survey undertaken way back in 1980s.
The project is sited in a highly sensitive seismic zone that falls at the junction of two tectonic plates which is further aggravated with other associated fall outs related to adverse impact on ecology and environment. Noted domain experts across reputed global institutions had voiced concerns regarding the associated risk and published numerous papers in support of the claim that the hydel project is not a viable option and could lead to irreversible damage and environmental catastrophe.
This paper is an attempt to trace the roots apart from connecting dots of possible factors guiding the timing of the Chinese decision to exploit the hydel potential of River Yarlung Tsangpo in the geologically and ecologically sensitive Great Bend Area of Tibet. The article covers geo-political intricacies in view of the Buddhist religious beliefs of local Tibetans associated with the sacred sites in Medog (Pemako) valley and geo-strategic aspects related to its security implications, Chinese narrative in support of the project, chronology of earthquakes in Tibet, possible fallouts and a counter strategy to the proposed hydel project inclusive of the mitigation measures.
China irrespective of the negative fallouts has decided to go ahead with construction of the Hydel project which clearly amounts to weaponization of water with intent to create a strategic asset to further its aggressive design in Tibet. It is imperative that India takes a multipronged approach and device a robust and resilient counter strategy to compel China to review its decision and explore other options to meet its climate goals and additional power requirements.
Keywords: Medog, China, Tibet, Water Wars, Hydel Power Project
