By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA MARCH 22: Tibetan NGOs here called for the protection of rivers of Tibet marking the World Water Day and bringing the spotlight on the rivers of Tibet that quenches the thirst of over 1.4 billion people living in nations downstream.
In two separate events, Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) and the Students for a Free Tibet, India (SFT) organized awareness campaigns to focus on the damage done by the construction of mega hydropower dams along major rivers of Tibet.
Tsering Dolma, Vice President of TWA said, “With China building mega dams throughout Tibet and diverting its rivers, it is evident that the downstream nations will have to face grave consequences in the future.”
Whereas, SFT focused more on the damaging impact on India and Bangladesh due to the dams built along the Brahmaputra River. The organization fears that owing to the dams, India may witness more flood during monsoon and drying of Brahmaputra during winter.
“We want to highlight the urgent need for India and Bangladesh to form a multilateral forum to pressure China against building dams and diverting Brahmaputra,” Tenzin Tselha, National Director of SFT (India) said while pointing to the forum formed by Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand to pressure on Mekong River.
“If India and Bangladesh follow suit, it would be a great victory for us and for them as well. Hence we aim to work with researchers and civil society of both the nations,” she said.
SFT also organized a signature petition along with a ‘missed call’ campaign where supporters give missed calls to a given number and SFT replies with a text pertaining to the issue.
According to Madeleine Lovelle, a Research Analyst on water crisis, by 2025 water scarcity would effect 1.8 billion people especially across Asia and China’s control over Tibet would place China in a ‘dominant position’ to control Asia’s water source.
The UN theme this year is ‘Why waste water?’ and the organization has asked for more reutilization of water. Prem Sagar, President of Himalaya Parivar today urged the residents of Dharamshala to collectively take active part in conservation of water.
“We are growing in both population and popularity. Scores of people visit to relish the beauty of our city. Therefore we must seriously consider the concept of conservation of water,” Prem Sagar said.
