Chandan-da: What concerns me most is the fact that the Chinese control of waterflow will be used as a political weapon in its disputes and generally troubled relationship with the Indian government. And a punishment imposed by China on the Brahmaputra front might be quite ignored by the Indian government - like the other problems of the region.
Perhaps, the saving grace will be that Beijing will see through this and therefore not choose to fight with this tool - (what would be the point of hitting where it Delhi does not hurt?) Just thinking aloud. Santanu. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Chan Mahanta > Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 9:02 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Assam] Chinese Plans to Dam The Tsangpo > > > The following article appeared in the AT of yesterday ( Nov 11, 2003). > > > We have been aware of this for a few years now, but increasingly China > seems more and more serious about the proposal, which is indeed very > ominous. > > > One might think that the Central Govt./ Ext. Affairs Ministry > would have > jumped on the issue long ago. But even if we accept the fact > that people > did not take these news reports seriously enough as rumors, > one would have > to conclude it is high time it is being done. From the tepid > responses to > reporters from the minister of water resources, it does not > seem to have > ignited a fire under anyone in the Center as yet. But of > course there would > be a problem for it to raise its voice internationally, or > even nationally > for domestic consumption, because of the Center's own > cavalier approach to > River-linking, and which which dismissed Banglades's concerns as mere > over-reactions. Here-in lies the dilemma of embaking on thoughtless > programs and ventures on account of narrow self-interests and/or > expediencies, just like the West has been finding out in > recent decades. > > Having said that, I have a question for those in Assam Net and in the > [EMAIL PROTECTED] list who are far more knowledgeable > than I am on > these matters: > > Let us for a moment ignore the environmental ramifications of a > massive > Chinese dam at the hair-pin bend of the Tsangpo befiore > it enters > Arunachal. Let us also ignore the ramifications of of > a catastrophic > seismic event like the 1950 earthquake -- listed in > the Encyclopedia > Britannica as one of the seven largest earthquakes in > recorded history, > which epi-centered close there-to and which lifted up > th Brahmaputra > river bottom in Assam by 15 feet (??) in places -- on > a huge dam > or impoundment. > > 1: WOULD such a dam help alleviate floods and erosion > in Assam as is suggested by the Chinese hydrologist > quoted in the news report? > > Unfortunately the claim might seem to make sense. Unlike a dam on the > Brahmaputra near the B'Desh border which would innundate vast > populated > areas and agricultural land; flooding could actually get > worse upstream due > to the relentless silting which would be accelerated by a > slowing down of > the river. > > However Assam's flooding PROBABLY happens not nearly as much > because of the > Tsangpo waters coming down from the snow-melt waters in > Tibet, but from the > monsoon rains from the southern side of the Himalayas carried > down by the > tributaries. > > But silting of the B could slow, because the Tibetan silt > would be trapped > by the Chinese dam and reservoir(S). > > > 2: Since Assam uses little IRRIGATION water NOW > ( if any at > all) > and there is no commercial navigation to speak > of, would it be > reasonable to conclude that a reduced flow of > water on the > Brahmaputra during the dry season due to the > Chinese dam, won't > really impact the economy of Assam that > much but will hit > the B'Desh economy real hard because they are > so dependent > on the rivers for their survival? > > Should that get B'Desh really concerned about Chinese designs? > > > Would appreciate feedback. > > > cm _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
