China begins building world’s largest dam on Brahmaputra river

China has started building the world’s largest dam on the Brahmaputra River (Yarlung Tsangpo in China) in Tibet. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang inaugurated it on Saturday.

Its total cost is said to be around $167.8 billion (about Rs 12 lakh crore). This dam is being built in Nyingchi city bordering Arunachal Pradesh. Both India and Bangladesh have expressed deep concern about this.

According to China’s official news agency Xinhua, the project will have five cascade hydropower stations. This will generate more than 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. This electricity can meet the needs of 30 crore people.