India flags concern over China's mega dam plan

The Chinese side has been urged to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas. - RANDHIR JAISWAL, EAM spokesperson

- Rezaul H Laskar

India on Friday flagged its concern about China's plan to build a mega dam on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra river and the creation of two counties in an illegally occupied section of Ladakh, with the external affairs ministry saying these matters have been formally taken up with Beijing.

The strong reaction from New Delhi came a little more than two months after the two countries reached an understanding in October on disengagement of front line forces at the two remaining "friction points" Demchok and Depsang on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This was followed by a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, at which the two sides decided to revive several mechanisms to normalise bilateral relations.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to a report by China's state-run Xinhua news agency on December 25 about the plan to build a hydropower project on Yarlung Tsangpo river in the Tibet Autonomous Region, and said the matter was taken up with Beijing to emphasise the need for consultations with downstream countries.