New Delhi, June 26: The Gegong Apang government?s decision to avoid mega projects involving construction of huge reservoirs in Arunachal Pradesh has created quite a stir in Delhi.

The ministries of power and water resources were informed of the decision a few days ago in a letter that said hydro power projects in the state would be designed on ?run-of-the-river basis?.

?As far as possible, storage projects involving high dams will be avoided,? the Apang government?s communiqu? said.

Concerned over the development, the water resources ministry has convened a meeting of the Brahmaputra Board in Guwahati tomorrow to discuss the issue. The ministry fears that the decision will jeopardise its efforts to check flood and erosion in the Brahmaputra Valley.

All hydel power projects are either storage or run-of-the-river-schemes. The latter involves tunelling, which allows production of electricity but cannot be used to store excess water, thus increasing the chance of artificial floods.

Sources said Assam would have to bear the brunt of the decision. According to the ministry, large reservoirs should be built in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra for a long-term solution to floods in the valley.

Explaining the government?s decision, Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary Ashok Kumar, who is at present in New Delhi, said: ?Huge reservoirs create displacement problems and lead to submergence of large tracts of land. Consequently, the rehabilitation process becomes much more complicated.?

He said 27 projects planned by central public sector units such as the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation would have to be thoroughly reviewed.

The 2000 MW Lower Subansiri project is already mired in controversy and the Assam government has requested the Centre to review it because there is no provision to control floods. The project could submerge approximately 4,000 hectares of land.

On whether the state government would go ahead with the project, Kumar merely said that the issue was still pending in the Supreme Court.

Sources said if the state government sticks to its stand, Delhi might have to rethink its strategy to transform Arunachal Pradesh into the ?powerhouse? of the country.

According to Central Electricity Authority estimates, the Northeast has the capacity to generate 38,000 MW of power, out of which Arunachal Pradesh alone can produce 32,000 MW.

Only Kameng, which is a run-of-the-river project, is under construction and five other schemes are still awaiting clearance certificates.