Apropos the editorial "Face up to China" (July 28), the Tibetan plateau is an important watershed of Asia and source of many major rivers. The water from Tibet flows to 11 countries and is said to bring fresh water to over 85 per cent of the Asian population. The Brahmaputra-Tsangpo is a project that is part of China's long-term river interlinking project to divert water from the south to the north. The planning for Tsangpo or Brahmaputra by China coincided with its claim to Arunachal Pradesh. The state's hydro-power reserves are estimated at 57,000 megawatts by experts and could be a reason for this claim.
The damming of transnational rivers upstream leads to unpredictable flows further down. This is what happened with the Mekong River. The huge water-based projects in Chinese territory have led to increased tensions with Thailand, Vietnam and other nations. As the Brahmaputra is an international river, China cannot build dams blocking water flow without prior permissions from Bangladesh and India. We cannot afford to toe a soft line on an issue that is critical to the survival of millions in the north-east. As suggested in the editorial, India should press for a comprehensive trilateral internationally-validated treaty with China on water-sharing that is open to international scrutiny and arbitration.
H N Ramakrishna Herndon, Virginia
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