India, Jan. 2 -- China's construction of what is being billed as the world's largest dam on the Tibetan plateau was one of the highlights of a New Year's address by President Xi Jinping, a clear indication that Beijing is giving short shrift to concerns expressed by lower riparian States such as India and Bangladesh. Work on the $167-billion Motuo Hydropower Station, close to the border with Arunachal Pradesh, began in July, triggering concerns that China will be able to control or divert the Yarlung Tsangpo, which feeds the Siang and Brahmaputra in India and the Jamuna in Bangladesh. Even before work began, the external affairs ministry conveyed India's concerns to China about the impact of such a mega-dam and urged Beijing to "ensure the interests of downstream States" are not impacted. India also highlighted the need for "transparency and consultation" with downstream countries, but there has been no indication that China has taken any step to address the concerns of lower riparian States. China's claims that the dam will prioritise ecological protection and bolster prosperity in Tibet ring hollow as Tibetan activists have described it as the latest example of exploitation of their land and resources. Officials in India's northeastern states describe the new dam as a "water bomb", and a report from the Lowy Institute warns that China's control over rivers in the Tibetan plateau effectively gives Beijing a "chokehold" on the Indian economy. The push to build a mega dam in an ecologically sensitive area during a time of climate crisis and growing extreme weather events is fraught with consequences. The Brahmaputra is not just a water channel, but an ecosystem that feeds millions of lives - human, animal and plant. Any reduction in fresh water flow would have a grievous impact downstream, especially in the Bangladesh delta that has been experiencing increased salination and loss of cultivable land. It is imperative for Beijing, Delhi, and Dhaka to have a conversation on China's Brahmaputra dam....