China’s plan for super-dam risks water security for India and Bangladesh

[GHALIB]

Kar is a Car. Kurt would be a Truk = truck not a car. Don't know the difference between a car and a truck? surely you have seen people with cars and trucks in the United States. Read up on the differences if you don't understand them.

they know very well about cars and trucks , they earn from taxis and trucks .

 

[Black_cats]

Bangladesh certainly will not be affected by China's building of this super dam. Rather, it will regulate the flow of water to BD throughout the year. Fo BD, now it is too much water in the Monsoon and too little in the winter period. This will change after the building of this Chinese dam.

This new dam will regulate this uneven flow. A hydroelectric power station needs almost the same quantity of water to flow through the dam gates throughout the year. So, China will certainly build a grand reservoir(s) in the north of the Himalayas. See the map in the Article. This will cause less water flow to BD during the monsoon. So, there will be fewer or no floods during the rainy season.

The dam will be producing the same quantity of electricity during the dry season depending upon its necessity. So, the same volume of water as in the monsoon will be coming down through the dam gates during the dry season. Therefore, it will cause sending more water in BD during the winter.

I do not see any bad effects on BD agriculture, but see a great help with the building and commissioning of the dam and hydroelectric power station upstream of Brahmaputra.

This is a very important topic. As such, I request posters to send their thoughtful comments instead of bashing China. Please tell me what wrong assumptions did I make.

Dhaka concerned over Brahmaputra dams by China, India

Published: April 17, 2021 09:43:23

Concerned over the moves by China and India to construct dams in the upstream of the Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh is planning to raise the issue in the upcoming water talks with both the countries.

Bangladesh is heavily dependent on external sources for water. The 1,800-km-long Brahmaputra, which enters Bangladesh from India after originating from Tibet region under China, is the largest source of external water for Bangladesh.

If both the countries withdraw water in the upstream from the Brahmaputra, Bangladesh will be a barren land, environmentalists said.

The total water resource of Bangladesh is estimated at 12,10,644 million cubic metres, of which 11,05,644 cubic metres come from external sources.

According to statistics, at least 60 per cent of Bangladesh's population relies on the Brahmaputra's catchment basin.

A catchment or basin is an ecological system of drainage that sees rainfall or river water drained into the surrounding environment, and can be accessed through lakes, wells or small tributary rivers.

"We will talk to India first. The Indian water resources minister will visit Dhaka soon, and we will discuss about the issue of construction of dams in the upstream of the Brahmaputra," state minister for water resources Zahid Farook told the FE.

"If China constructs a dam in the upstream, then definitely India will have concern. Similarly, if India and China both go ahead with such dam projects, Bangladesh will have concern. But we want to resolve the issue amicably through discussion."

"It is well known to all that withdrawal of water in the upstream of any common river will seriously impact the countries in the downstream. So, we consider this a matter of concern," Mr Zahid added.

Officials said constructing dams in the upstream means that the countries concerned will have the leverage to withdraw or release water as per their requirement.

"We may see heavy water flow when we do not need water, and there might be no water in the dry season when we require it most," a senior official of the Ministry of Water Resources said while presenting the worst scenario.

China first disclosed its plan to construct a dam on the Brahmaputra (in Yarlung Zangbo), when Yan Zhiyong, chairman of the Power Construction Corp of China or POWERCHINA said China would implement its hydropower exploration plan in the downstream of the international river.

"There is no parallel in history…it will be a historic opportunity for the Chinese hydropower industry," Yan was quoted as saying by the Chinese media.

The new dam is planned to produce at least 60 gigawatts (GW) of electricity. To put that into perspective, one GW is the quantity of energy captured by 3.125 million solar panels or 412 wind turbines. One GW is also enough to power 110 million LED lights, said an analyst.

Later, in March this year, China's parliament adopted the 14th five-year plan, which included the hydropower project on the Brahmaputra in Tibet near India's Arunachal Pradesh.

Chinese officials also hinted that the construction work of the dam might start this year.

But India was apparently not appeased by the Chinese assurances in this regard, and responded with the announcement of its plan to construct another dam on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal soon after the disclosure of the Chinese plan.

T S Mehra, a senior official in India's federal water ministry, told media in December that they had proposed construction of a hydro-electric dam with 10-GW capacity in Arunachal to mitigate adverse impact of the Chinese dam project.

"Our proposal is under consideration at the highest level of the government."

The planned dam would create a large water storage capacity in India to offset effect of the Chinese dam on water flow, he added.

However, Dr Ainun Nishat, leading environment expert of the country, looks at the issue from a different angle.

If China is going to produce electricity through constructing a dam on the Brahmaputra in the upstream, Bangladesh can negotiate to have a share in the project, he said.

"We can invest partly, and have a share of the power generated from the project. India can also join us, so that the negative effect of the project can also be minimised through consultations."

About campaigns against construction of the proposed dams, he said dams are essential for many reasons, including flood management.

"I am not against construction of dams, but the dams should be constructed in a manner so that these will not cause serious harm to ecology and locality."

"Previously dams were built according to the design of engineers, but now we suggest stakeholders' consultation before designing a dam," he added.

On the other hand, Chinese officials said they would address the concern of both India and Bangladesh in this issue.

Soon after the disclosure of the dam building plan, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying was asked about it in a media briefing in Beijing.

She said, "Hydropower development in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River is China's legitimate right. When it comes to use and development of cross-border rivers, China always acts responsibly."

China has a policy featuring development and conservation, and all projects will go through science-based planning and assessment, giving full consideration to impact downstream and accommodating interests of both the upstream and downstream regions.

The development of the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo is in the early stages of planning and assessment, she noted.

"There is no need to read too much into that."
Regarding the concerns in India and Bangladesh, she said, "For a long time, China, India and Bangladesh have had good cooperation in sharing hydrological information, flood and disaster reduction and contingency management. We will continue our communication through existing channels."

"There is no need for any anxiety in this matter," she added.

According to international law, the countries that are upstream of a river have the sovereignty to build dams on their stretch of water, even though it may impact the countries further downstream.

However, the right is balanced by the principles of 'reasonable use' and 'no harm'.

But China is not a party to the UN Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com

Dhaka concerned over Brahmaputra dams by China, India

Concerned over the moves by China and India to construct dams in the upstream of the Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh is planning to raise the issue in the upcoming water talks with both the countries. Bangladesh is heavily dependent on external sources for water. The 1,800-km-long Brahmaputra, which

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

 

[Jobless Jack]

Well if India cares so much they can always handover the NE to BD. Then India wont have the headache of water from china . And I am sure BD and china can come to some arrangement.

An excellent deal for all parties concerned tbh.

 

[bluesky]

So this project and also our teesta project can be boon for Bangladesh.

As far as I understand the Chinese engineers do not do the planning for any projects in BD. And, in my opinion, another Teesta project financed by China is not there to help us anyways. I have read that absurd planning by our GOBET people (read engineers).

BD needs to build another barrage (2nd) 90 km downstream of the present Teesta Barrage. This will create a big reservoir with a length of 90 km, a width of 4 km, and a depth of, say, 12 m.

Now, please do your own math to know how many m3 of water this reservoir can contain after post-monsoon. From here you can calculate the acre of land this water can irrigate. For example, about 5 ft of water is needed to irrigate PADDY land. Other crops will require half that.

Find out ways to convert between foot and meter.

 

[Protest_again]

Hopefully India will use the rest of water for it's own. Then blame China for lack of water. Win win for India and China.

 

[itsanufy]

Good lord, add a spoiler next time you post, lost a fair few IQ points reading through and making sense of that... Such nonsensical gibberish.

Who is the person in your profile?

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Who is the person in your profile?

Me, why ?

 

[itsanufy]

Me, why ?

Really, then you have some good thumbnails

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

Really, then you have some good thumbnails

Yes, yes, looking away into the distance, real thoughtful like.. do you like this pose ? I think it makes the ladies go Gaga

 

[F-6 enthusiast]

I completely agree with your message. China isn't expansionist like India ( who is blocking our water with farakka; they consider themselves as descendants of vedic people, yet they (India) are behaving like the demon vritra of rigveda, who used to block water ) , and China rarely (directly) poke it's nose in other countries' matter.

So this project and also our teesta project can be boon for Bangladesh.

Chinese are more amicable towards us when it comes to water related issues.
Few years ago the Chinese didn't give India Hydrological Flow data of Brahmaputra to India (during flooding season ) but gave it to us (and have continued to ) all they could do was whine as they have always done.
China shares Brahmaputra river's hydrological data with Bangladesh, but says no to India | India News | Zee News

The long term solution is to build a dam on our side. Be masters of our own destiny

 

[Bilal9]

Kar is a Car. Kurt would be a Truk = truck not a car. Don't know the difference between a car and a truck? surely you have seen people with cars and trucks in the United States. Read up on the differences if you don't understand them.

OK Karthik, corrected the spelling to your liking, added the "heeich" after "T". Like you guys do in South India.

Yes, yes, looking away into the distance, real thoughtful like.. do you like this pose ? I think it makes the ladies go Gaga

They will go both Goo-Goo and Gaga. After they awake from the fainting spell.

 

[KurtisBrian]

OK Karthik, corrected the spelling to your liking, added the "heeich" after "T". Like you guys do in South India.

actually a Truck carries the heavy burden. Won't carry anything for any of you. Won't carry anything for anybody who has more than me, anything I feel is mine or anything I want.
Bosses can try to find another Truck.

 

[bluesky]

Hopefully India will use the rest of water for it's own. Then blame China for lack of water. Win win for India and China.

Another Amit Shah seems to be in the making. Cheers!!.

But, are you already as stupid as Amit Shah? How do you want to carry coal to New Castle and how do you want to consume all the Brahmaputra water in Assam when it has the highest precipitation in the world? Cherapunji------.

By the way, it would be a great service to Assam and the entire NE if BD kindly takes over this land from India. You will agree that Delhi is quite step-motherly towards this land.

 

[Protest_again]

Another Amit Shah seems to be in the making. Cheers!!.

But, are you already as stupid as Amit Shah? How do you want to carry coal to New Castle and how do you want to consume all the Brahmaputra water in Assam when it has the highest precipitation in the world? Cherapunji------.

By the way, it would be a great service to Assam and the entire NE if BD kindly takes over this land from India. You will agree that Delhi is quite step-motherly towards this land.

Lol. You could try taking the land. Assamese want NRC to throw the existing termites out. With BJP at the center and in all NE states, there can be no step motherly treatment. Congress used to give step motherly treatment by allowing termites to enter in to these states and reducing their standards of living. No more.

 

[bluesky]

Lol. You could try taking the land. Assamese want NRC to throw the existing termites out. With BJP at the center and in all NE states, there can be no step motherly treatment. Congress used to give step motherly treatment by allowing termites to enter in to these states and reducing their standards of living. No more.

Western Assam is already a Muslim majority and the entire Assam will become a Muslim majority in a few decades. It will happen because Muslim women are more fertile than Assamese women.

So, ask your men to recreate people by loving their wives and ask your women not to overdrink and rather love their men after the dusk. This is the only solution for Assam not to fall on the laps of Bangladesh.

Amit Shah cannot produce alone all the needed children and your own people are averse to love-making. Very bad!!