'Not immediately…’ Why Himanta Biswa Sarma is not worried about China’s building world’s biggest dam on Brahmaputra

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, amid concerns arising out of China’s construction of the world’s biggest dam on the Brahmaputra river, said he is not immediately concerned. He also said that the central government is also likely to hold talks with China. 

"I am not immediately worried because Brahmaputra is a mighty river and it is not dependent on a single source (of water). Brahmaputra gets most of its waters from Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and the rainwater and other forms of water from our state itself," he said.

Sarma said that the exact impact of the massive dam is not properly known as different theories are being floated.

The CM further said that there are two scientific views if Brahmaputra's flow is disturbed by China – either there would be less water, thereby impacting the biodiversity or it could lead to flood cushioning. “So, I don't know which one is correct," he added.

The Assam CM stated that the Centre must already have had or will have a discussion with China. 

He had earlier explained that China contributes only about 30-35 per cent of the Brahmaputra's total flow, with the remaining 60-65 per cent generated within India. The Indian share comes from monsoon rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, along with tributaries such as Subansiri, Lohit, Kameng, Manas, Dhansiri, Jia-Bharali, and Kopili, he said. 

Additional inflows come from the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills through rivers like Krishnai, Digaru, and Kulsi. At the Indo-China border, the river's flow ranges between 2,000 and 3,000 cubic metres per second, expanding to 15,000 to 20,000 cubic metres per second during monsoons in Assam plains, including Guwahati, the CM had explained. 

In June, the rivers, including Brahmaputra, Barak, Kopili, Subansiri, Burhidihing, Dhansiri, Rukni, Dhaleswari, Katakhal, and Kushiyara were flowing above danger levels at multiple locations.