Beijing: At a time when India is reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, China has blocked a tributary of the Brahmaputra river in Tibet as part of the construction of its "most expensive" hydro project.
China's action could cause concern in India as it may impact water flows into the lower riparian countries.
The Lalho project on Xiabuqu river, a tributary of Yarlung Zangbo (the Tibetan name for Brahmaputra), in Xigaze in Tibet involves an investment of CNY 4.95 billion (USD 740 million), Zhang Yunbao, the head of the project's administration bureau, was quoted as saying by Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency on Saturday.
Terming it as the "most expensive project", the report said the project, whose construction began in June 2014, was scheduled to be completed in 2019.
It is not clear yet what impact the blockade of the river will have on the flow of water from the Brahmaputra into the lower riparian countries like India and Bangladesh as a result.
Last year, China had operationalised the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet, built on the Brahmaputra river, which has raised concerns in India.
But China has been maintaining that it has taken into consideration India's concerns and allays apprehensions of restricting the flow of water, saying its dams are run of the river projects not designed to hold water.
The outline of China's 12th Five Year Plan indicates that three more hydropower projects on the mainstream of the Brahmaputra river in Tibet Autonomous Region have been approved for implementation.