The Hindu : National : Protest against hydel projects in north Sikkim spreads

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Thursday, Sep 13, 2007
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Protest against hydel projects in north Sikkim spreads

Special Correspondent

Hunger-strikes by Lepchas in Darjeeling and Kalimpong of West Bengal; Delhi dharna planned

Kolkata: The hunger-strike by members of the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), an organisation largely made up of Lepcha ethnic community in Sikkim, entered its 85th day in Gangtok on Wednesday.

A renewed appeal by the Sikkim government to call it off has been rejected. The organisation is demanding the scrapping of hydel power projects proposed in the north of the State.

What started as an indefinite strike has turned into a relay. Similar hunger-strikes have been launched in Darjeeling and Kalimpong by members of the Lepcha community in neighbouring West Bengal and moves are on to spread the movement, Dawa Tshering Lepcha, general secretary ACT, told The Hindu from Gangtok.

A fresh phase of protests is also being planned in New Delhi, he added. The ACT is opposing the Sikkim government’s proposal to set up seven hydel power projects in the Dzongu area north of the State – a region that falls within the Lepcha tribal reserved area and has a population of nearly 8,000. There are less than 45,000 Lepchas, barely five per cent of the State’s population, across Sikkim.

Dzongu considered sacred

“Dzongu is considered sacred by all Lepchas. The community originated from the region and the setting up of mega projects there is being opposed on grounds that they pose not just a demographic threat to the community, but a threat to its traditions and culture and the environment as well,” Mr. Lepcha said.

In an appeal in the form of a letter to ACT president, the Sikkim Chief Secretary had stated that the Cabinet has approved setting up of a seven-member review committee to “examine issues relating to the implementation of hydel projects in North Sikkim.” The committee has been directed to submit its report within 100 days. Till then activities in five proposed projects will stop, the letter added.

“We have rejected the setting up of the committee as we have not been consulted regarding its constitution. One condition of ours was that half its members be eminent environmentalists drawn from outside the State,” Mr. Lepcha said.

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