China has cleared three dam projects on Brahmaputra mainstream: Govt

NEW DELHI: China has cleared three dam projects on Brahmaputra mainstream in Tibet, government said on Monday.

"The recently released 'Outline of the 12th Five year plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China' indicates that three dam projects on the main stream of the Brahmaputra river in Tibet Autonomous Region have been approved for implementation by Chinese authorities," minister of water resources Harish Rawat said.

In a written reply to a a query in Rajya Sabha, Rawat said that as a lower riparian state with established user rights India had conveyed its views to China and urged it to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activity in upstream area.

He also said that three states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bihar — had written to the Centre expressing concern over the construction activity by China in the upper reaches of Brahmaputra.