Arunachal Chief Minister Reveals Siang River Barrage Plan To Counter Chinese Dam

Arunachal Chief Minister Reveals Siang River Barrage Plan To Counter Chinese Dam

Subject: Geography

Section: Indian geography

Context:

• Arunachal Chief Minister warns the center of China’s building a mega dam on the YarlungTsangpo River in Tibet’s Medog district.

Details:

• The mega dam is referred to as a “ticking water bomb for residents downstream (in Arunachal and Assam)”.
• The centre plans to build a large barrage – a low-lying structure with gates to control the flow of water – across the Siang river.

The mega dam may cause:

• The river may shrink due to diversion of water
• Threat of flood if excess water is released
• Land erosion of cultivable land in Assam and Arunachal region

Why is China building this mega dam?

• It is mentioned in China’s strategic 14th Five-Year Plan.
• It is expected to produce triple the electricity produced by the Three Gorges – the world’s largest power station.

YarlungTsangpo river:

• It is the longest river of Tibet and the fifth longest in China.
• Originates at Angsi Glacier in western Tibet, southeast of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.
• The Tsangpo flows through Tibet before entering Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang. It becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam and the Jamuna in Bangladesh before it empties into the Bay of Bengal.
• The river forms the world’s largest and deepest canyon at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters (4,900 feet), YarlungTsangpo Grand Canyon.
• The YarlungTsangpo River is the highest major river in the world.
• Its longest tributary is the Nyang River.
• In India, he tributaries namely Subansiri, Ronganadi, Dikrong, Buroi, Borgong, Jiabharali, Dhansiri (North) Puthimari, Manas, Beki, Aie, Sonkoshare the main tributaries on the North, while the Noadehing, Buridehing, Desang, Dikhow, Bhogdoi, Dhansiri (South), Kopilli, Kulsi, Krishnai, Dhdhnoi, Jinjiran are the main tributaries on the south.