The Assam Government is silent over the issue of forest clearance to the 1750- MW Demwe Lower Hydel Project, which is being constructed on the inter-State Lohit River at the Parasuram Kund point in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh by a private sector firm. This is seen as a case detrimental to the cause of the State, as far as its Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (NP) and Biosphere Reserve is concerned. Significantly, the Arunachal Pradesh government and the private party involved in its execution have been opposing any move to make Assam government a party in the case pending with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in this respect. The Assam government failed to appear on October 1 in the NGT for an appeal (No. 92/2013; Bimal Gogoi & Anr. Vs Government of Arunachal Pradesh & Ors.) challenging the forest clearance granted to the project in which it has been made a respondent. The order of the NGT, dated October 1, states: “In respect of Respondent No. 6 (State of Assam), even though service is complete, there is no representation on behalf of the Respondent No. 6. In respect of Respondent No. 6, appearance is awaited.” During the hearing, the counsel for the Government of Arunachal Pradesh strongly opposed the Government of Assam being made a respondent for the dam in the foothills of the inter-State Lohit River even though the latter is a downstream affected State. The counter-affidavit submitted by the private developer also opposed Government of Assam being made a party in the case. The forest clearance granted under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 to the project has been challenged in the NGT.