The Assam Government is concerned about the possible adverse effects of setting up of hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh and requested the Centre to conduct a detailed study on the cumulative effects that such projects may have in Assam before granting permission to establish such projects. Replying to a question by Brindaban Goswami (AGP), in the State Assembly today, Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said that the State Government has also requested the Centre to engage experts from Assam in the environmental impact study of the power projects in Arunachal Pradesh as the experts from other parts of the country might not be aware of the local problems. Bordoloi informed the House that according to information available with the State Government, the Arunachal Government has decided to establish more than a hundred hydropower projects. He said that the Arunachal Government is not required to take permission from Assam for setting up such projects, but three agencies of the Central Government would have to give clearance for such projects. He revealed that the Central Water Commission, Central Electricity Authority and the Ministry of Environment and Forest would have to give clearance for setting up of hydropower projects. "We have already asked the Government of India to conduct a detailed survey on the cumulative effects that such projects may cause to Assam in the years to come,' he asserted. He said that the matter was also discussed in a recent meeting of the North East Regional Power Committee and a resolution supporting Assam's demand was passed in the meeting, which has been forwarded to the Centre. On the issue of effects of release of excess water from the Ranganadi project of the North Eastern Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO), Bordoloi said that the State Government has already formed a committee headed by an Additional Chief Secretary to examine the issue. He said that he, along with Water Resources Minister Bharat Chandra Narah recently held a meeting with representatives of different organizations including Central Water Commission, NEEPCO, NHPC etc to discuss the issue. The State Government will also move the Union Water Resources Minister soon to request him for a detailed study on the possible impacts of dam projects by involving the concerned departments. Earlier, raising the question, Brindaban Goswami said that the decision of the Arunachal Pradesh to set up more than 160 dam projects might prove to be disastrous for Assam in the days to come. "The Chief Minister himself admitted that release of excess water from the Ranganadi project of the NEEPCO created havoc in Lakhimpur this year and setting up of new dam projects in seismic zones might pose serious threat to Assam in the days to come,' he added. He also said that the Centre should be asked not to allow such projects without proper study. Cutting across party lines, several other members of the State Assembly also voiced serious concern on the possible implications of setting up of dam projects in Arunachal Pradesh. Bhuban Pegu (Ind), Bhupen Bora (Cong) and Girindra Kumar Baruah (AGP) pointed out that over the years, release of water from the dam projects in Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan caused havoc in Assam and the State Government should take serious note of the issue.