Furthermore, he said, the dam would alter the sediment flow, affecting agricultural lands that rely on the river’s natural replenishment of nutrients.“China’s construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on Yarlung Tsangpo poses significant risks to the water security, ecology, and livelihoods of millions of people downstream in Arunachal, Assam and Bangladesh. The potential disruption of water flow, flooding, and ecosystem degradation could have far-reaching consequences on us,” he said.Highlighting that all major rivers of India originate from the Tibetan Plateau, Khandu said the Chinese government’s rampant exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources posed a serious threat to the very existence of these river systems.“Tibet is often referred to as the ‘Water Tower of Asia’, supplying water to over a billion people in the region. Its environmental health is critical not only to China and India but also to much of Asia. Therefore, India, given its direct dependency on Tibet’s rivers and climate patterns, has a significant role to play in global environmental conservation efforts,” Khandu said.Appreciating the Tibet Support Group of Arunachal and the Core Group for Tibetan Cause for organising the seminar in Arunachal, he hoped that the discussions here would play a vital role in finding solutions to mitigate the alarming environmental situation in Tibet.
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