According to Chinese officials, China has begun construction of a megadam on Tibet’s Yarlung Zangbo River, which could be the world’s main hydroelectric power source when finished.
Five hydropower stations will be located along the river, which is also known as the Brahmaputra in India and the Jamuna River in Bangladesh, along with five hydropower stations in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Premier Li Qiang reportedly attended a ceremony for the dam’s commencement on Saturday, according to China’s Xinhua state news agency.
Beijing had been working on the project for a while, and in December of last year, the project was approved. It ties the development to Beijing’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and economic goals in the Tibet region.
After the groundbreaking ceremony in the city of Nyingchi in southeast Tibet, Xinhua reported that “the electricity generated will primarily be transmitted to other regions for consumption, while also meeting local power needs in Tibet.”
According to Xinhua, the project is expected to cost about 1.2 trillion yuan ($167.1 billion).
India stated in January that it was concerned about the project and would “monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests” with China.
China “has been urged to ensure that the interests of the downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas,” according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs at the time.
Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in December that the project would not have a “negative impact” downstream, adding that China “will also maintain communication with nations at the lower reaches” of the river.
Tibetans expressed concern about the potential effects on the Tibetan Plateau’s distinctive ecosystems after China annexed Tibet in 1950.
According to Yale’s E360 environmental magazine, Tibet’s vast glaciers, major rivers, and vast glaciers provide fresh water to 1.3 billion people in 10 nations.
The Yarlung Tsangpo, which reaches 5, 000 meters (16,404 feet) above sea level, is considered to be Tibet’s sacred river.
Tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed on either side of China’s vast border with India, which is only 30 kilometers (18 miles) away.
The Yangtze River’s Three Gorges Dam, which was constructed in central China, could have three times as much energy as the dam.
Around 1.4 million people were displaced by the Three Gorges Dam, which was completed in 2003, incontrovertibly.
Source: Aljazeera
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