Nyingchi: China has initiated the construction of a colossal dam on Tibet's longest river, following the central government's approval in December. This development has raised concerns among India, Bangladesh, and Tibetan rights groups regarding its potential impact on local residents and the environment.
According to Radio Free Asia, the structure is projected to cost over 1 trillion yuan (US$137 billion) and, once completed, will become the world's largest hydropower dam. It is expected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually, which is approximately three times the output of China's Three Gorges Dam. The operations are anticipated to commence in the 2030s.
Premier Li Qiang, along with other officials, attended a commencement ceremony in Nyingchi in southeastern Tibet over the weekend. Experts like Asher have expressed concerns about the project's effects on river flows, noting that larger dams typically have more significant impacts.
Neeraj Singh Manhas, a special adviser on South Asia at Parley Policy Initiative in South Korea, previously stated that the dam could adversely affect agriculture, hydropower generation, and drinking water availability in India. He highlighted that seasonal changes in water discharge might worsen floods or intensify droughts downstream, threatening both livelihoods and ecosystems.
During the weekend, the Chinese premier emphasized the importance of ecological conservation to prevent environmental damage, as reported by Xinhua. Historically, China has constructed an estimated 22,000 large dams, accounting for about 40% of the world's total, to support its rapid industrialization and economic growth.