China's Plan To Build Dam On Brahmaputra Upsets India

China is planning to build a dam on the river Brahmaputra, which is the lifeline for the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The move is causing serious concerns for the residents and the matter will reportedly will be taken up during China’s President Hu Jintao's visit to Delhi next month.

The source of the Brahmaputra is in Tibet, where it is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo. China plans to dam the river before it flows into India to divert the waters to the northeast and feed the provinces of Shaanxi, Hebei, the capital Beijing and Tianjin.

The plan reportedly has the backing of President Hu Jintao, a hydro-engineer by profession who built his political career in Tibet.

There is concern in India that a dam of this kind would affect water flows into Assam and Arunachal.  

India's sense of urgency is growing as two months ago China cleared a plan to divert water from the upper reaches of the Yangtze river in Tibet to the north-western parts of the country.