In news

China will build a major hydropower project on Brahmaputra river in Tibet and a proposal for this has been clearly put forward in the 14th Five-Year Plan to be implemented from next year.

Highlights

• China will “implement hydropower exploitation in the downstream of the Yarlung Zangbo river ( the Tibetan name for Brahmaputra) and the project could serve to maintain water resources and domestic security
• There is no parallel in history it will be a historic opportunity for the Chinese hydropower industry.
• Details of the plan were expected to be released after the formal ratification by National People's Congress ( NPC) early next year.

Major Concerns

• Proposals for dams on the Brahmaputra have evoked concerns in India and Bangladesh, the riparian states, and China has downplayed such anxieties saying it would keep their interests in mind.
• As a lower riparian state, India has rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers under international law.
• The Indian government has earlier expressed its concerns to Beijing and urged it to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activity in upstream areas.

Expert Level Mechanism (ELM)

• India and China established Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border rivers.
  
• Under existing bilateral Memorandums of Understanding, China provides hydrological information of Brahmaputra River and Sutlej River to India during the flood seasons.
  
• Under the arrangement, China provides flood season data of the Brahmaputra river between May 15 and October 15 every year.