India to determine if China is damming the Brahmaputra
16 Oct 2009
New Delhi: The Indian ministry of external affairs (MEA) has said it would determine whether there has been any change in the Chinese position of not constructing any dams on the Brahmaputra river or diverting river waters in any significant way. It said both countries have a mechanism through which trans-border river issues are discussed and so far China has denied that it intended to divert Brahmaputra waters in any way.
The ministry was reacting to fresh reports that China may be indulging in activity that would result in damming of the Brahmaputra.
Any move by China to build dams on the Brahmaputra river has the potential to impact ecology in India's north-eastern states.
"India and China agreed in November 2006 to establish an Expert Level Mechanism to discuss trans-border river issues in an institutional way. Three meetings have been held so far.... The Chinese side has categorically denied that there is a plan to build any such large scale diversion project on the Brahmaputra river," an MEA statement said.
It said the government would "ascertain whether there are recent developments that suggest any change in the position conveyed to us by the government of China".
A Sino-Indian mechanism to discuss river water issues was established in 2006.
