A massive dam project on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet has raised alarm bells in India, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Dilip Saikia urging the government to hold bilateral talks with China to halt the project. The dam, touted as the largest in the world, poses a significant threat to downstream regions, including northeastern India and Bangladesh .
Located in an earthquake-prone region, the dam’s construction could have devastating consequences for the people and communities living in the downstream areas, including Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The project, estimated to cost around USD 137 billion, is situated in the ecologically fragile Himalayan region, where earthquakes occur frequently.
Saikia’s concerns come after China approved plans to build the dam last year, which will be constructed at a huge gorge in the Himalayan reaches where the Brahmaputra makes a U-turn to flow into Arunachal Pradesh and then to Bangladesh. The Indian government has been urged to take immediate action to address these concerns and ensure the safety and well-being of the people living in the downstream regions.
