Proposed dam in China to damage Brahmaputra ecosystem in Assam: Himanta

Guwahati: The proposed construction of the world's largest dam by China on Brahmaputra in Tibet will damage the ecosystem of the river in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.

During an interaction with journalists here, Sarma said the Centre has communicated to China the dangers posed by the dam in the lower reaches of the river.

''The dam will pose a big problem for us as the riverbed will dry up and the entire river system will become fragile. We have already raised the matter with the Centre'', he said.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has also written to the Centre about the matter, Sarma added.

Last week, China approved the construction of the world's largest dam, stated to be the planet's biggest infra project, on the Brahmaputra river in Tibet close to the Indian border, raising concerns in India and Bangladesh.

The hydropower project will be built in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river, the Tibetan name for the Brahmaputra.

The dam will be built at a huge gorge in the Himalayan reaches where the Brahmaputra river makes a huge U-turn to flow into Arunachal Pradesh and then to Bangladesh, an official release had said.