India downplays China`s dam construction on Brahmaputra

New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) India Thursday downplayed the
issue of building of a dam by China on Brahmaputra river
saying the construction site is 1,100 km away from the
country's boundary.
"The point where they were making a dam is 1,100
kilometres away from our boundary. It's a small dam and no
reservoir as such. They already have such 15 dams there which
they are using for local purposes," India's Water Resources
Minister P K Bansal said here.
"For their run of the river, we have no right. Our
concern should be that there is no diversion in existing flow
of the 79 BCM water from the river into India. There is no
evidence for any such diversion so far," Bansal said.
"There is no cause of concern right now but we always
have to be watchful," was the refrain of the minister when
asked whether there was nothing to worry about the issue.
His response came when asked about media reports that
China has constructed a dam on the river as part of the Nagmu
hydroelectric project which was inaugurated on March 16. He
was speaking at a Rajya Sabha workshop on "Parliament and
Media".
The minister also informed that the government has
decided to launch new projects in Arunachal Pradesh for the
use of the 79 BCM water coming from the region, to strengthen
India's claims on the right to use that water.
Sources said by doing this the government wants to
pre-empt any future move by China to obstruct supply of this
water by suddenly raising height of the dam or by any other
step. (MORE) PTI