China’s 60,000 MW dam may impact Assam to Bangladesh, warns expert in Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh, July 1: Commemorating five decades of journalistic engagement, the Dibrugarh Press Club hosted an insightful lecture recently under its ‘Aamar Alohi’ series, delving into the potential ripple effects of China’s mega dam project on the river Yarlung Tsangpo that stretches from Assam to Bangladesh.

Eminent geologist and retired professor of Dibrugarh University Dr Jogendranath Sharma voiced serious concern over China’s proposed Medog Hydropower Project. The colossal 60,000 MW Medog Hydropower Project – estimated to be nearly 60 times the capacity of India’s largest dams – is currently under construction in Medog county, Tibet, a region known for its ecological fragility and high seismic vulnerability. The project received approval in December 2024.

Sharma issued a stark warning about the profound environmental and geological dangers posed by the dam to downstream regions, particularly Assam and Bangladesh. He detailed several potential threats, including severe riverbank erosion driven by ‘hungry water’ – a phenomenon where sediment-starved water released from dams aggressively scours riverbeds and banks, destabilising ecosystems and infrastructure. He also pointed to the disruption of intricate groundwater systems, which could deplete aquifers and impact agriculture and drinking water sources across the Brahmaputra basin.

Another critical concern that he highlighted was the potential alteration of regional monsoon patterns, which could shift rainfall distribution and intensify flood and drought cycles across Northeast India. Perhaps most alarmingly, Sharma highlighted the devastating implications for biodiversity and the livelihoods of over two million fishermen who depend on the Brahmaputra’s rich and delicate aquatic ecosystem.

He strongly advocated for a comprehensive joint Indo-China Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), calling for transboundary cooperation to evaluate the full scope of the project’s downstream consequences.

In a chilling reminder of history, Sharma warned that a dam collapse triggered by an earthquake could unleash destruction on a scale reminiscent of the catastrophic 1950 Assam earthquake, which led to widespread flooding, landslides, and loss of lives.

While noting that Yarlung Tsangpo contributes only about 5 per cent to the Brahmaputra’s flow in Bangladesh, Dr Sharma maintained that the risks remain highly significant. He also referenced India’s own proposed 11,000 MW Siang Hydroelectric Project, conceived partly as a counter to China’s dam, though he acknowledged that it faces environmental challenges of its own.

Adding further depth to the discussion, a delegation from the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) of Arunachal Pradesh actively participated in the programme. The group shared its concerns and opposition to the Siang Upper Multi-Purpose Project, being developed by NHPC on the river Siang, citing risks to indigenous communities and local ecosystems.

The event was anchored by Ripunjoy Das, general secretary of the Dibrugarh Press Club, and was attended by an array of distinguished guests. These included Lohit Deka, programme head of All India Radio and Doordarshan, senior journalists Iqbal Ahmed, Ron Dowerah, Lakhikanta Majindar Baruah, Lalit Sharma, Anil Poddar, Prabir Chakraborty, Ajoy Dutta, and Sourav Dowerah, along with a large gathering of media professionals from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. Gandhapati Chungkrang, director of the North East Fire Services Academy (NEFSA), was also present at the event.

In recognition of his valuable insights and lifelong contribution, Sharma was felicitated by the Dibrugarh Press Club with a traditional gamosa, a memento, and a citation.