Noted environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna flays Chamling Government on hydel projects

Criticising the Pawan Kumar Chamling government in Sikkim for tapping hydel potential for commercial benefits, noted environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna today alleged that construction of several hydel projects in Sikkim amounted to a "destructive act" against the ecology of the "greenest" state of the country.

For years, Bahugana has fought for the preservation of forests in the Himalayas, first as a member of the Chipko movement in 1970s, and later spearheaded the Anti-Tehri Dam movement starting 1980s, to early 2004.

"The hydropower projects in Sikkim are a destructive act against the ecology and environment of Sikkim which is a part of the Himalayan mountain range," he told reporters here in reply to a question about his views on the construction of dams in thick forested areas in North Sikkim.

Power generation by disturbing water resources emanating from the Himalayans cannot be justified, Bahuguna said and flayed the Chamling government for seeking to commercially tap them, through "destruction of the forest cover and the fragile landscape". He stated that North Sikkim which is covered by a thick green forest is the national resource which should be preserved instead of tampering for hydel projects. “Himalayan region landscape are fragile for such massive projects, construction of hydel project is direct destruction of environment.” he told to reporters.

He was one of the early environmentalists of India, and later he and people associated with the Chipko movement later started taking up environmental issues, like against large dams, mining and deforestation, across the country.

He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian honour, on January 26, 2009 and Padma award on April 14, 2009.

source: http://voiceofsikkim.com/ http://news.chennaionline.com/

India arrogant to deny global warming link to melting glaciers

The Himalayas. The IPCC has warned that Himalayan glaciers are receding faster than in any other part of the world and could “disappear altogether by 2035 if not sooner”.
Photograph: Frederic Soltan/© Frederic Soltan/Corbis

A leading climate scientist today accused the Indian environment ministry of "arrogance" after the release of a government report claiming that there is no evidence climate change has caused "abnormal" shrinking of Himalayan glaciers.

Jairam Ramesh, India's environment minister, released the controversial report in Delhi, saying it would "challenge the conventional wisdom" about melting ice in the mountains.

Two years ago, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN agency which evaluates the risk from global warming, warned the glaciers were receding faster than in any other part of the world and could "disappear altogether by 2035 if not sooner".

Today Ramesh denied any such risk existed: "There is no conclusive scientific evidence to link global warming with what is happening in the Himalayan glaciers." The minister added although some glaciers are receding they were doing so at a rate that was not "historically alarming".

However, Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the IPCC, told the Guardian: "We have a very clear idea of what is happening. I don't know why the minister is supporting this unsubstantiated research. It is an extremely arrogant statement."

Ramesh said he was prepared to take on "the doomsday scenarios of Al Gore and the IPCC".

"My concern is that this comes from western scientists … it is high time India makes an investment in understanding what is happening in the Himalayan ecosystem," he added.

The government report, entitled Himalayan glaciers (pdf), looks at 150 years' worth of data gathered from the Geological Survey of India from 25 glaciers. It claims to be the first comprehensive study on the region.

Vijay Kumar Raina, the geologist who authored the report, admitted that some "Himalayan glaciers are retreating. But it is nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing to suggest as some have said that they will disappear."

Pachauri dismissed the report saying it was not "peer reviewed" and had few "scientific citations".

"With the greatest of respect this guy retired years ago and I find it totally baffling that he comes out and throws out everything that has been established years ago."

In a remarkable finding, the report claims the Gangotri glacier, the main source of the River Ganges, actually receded fastest in 1977 – and is today "practically at a stand still".

Some scientists have warned that the river beds of the Gangetic Basin – which feed hundreds of millions in northern India – could run dry once glaciers go. However, such concerns are scotched by the report.

According to Raina, the mistake made by "western scientists" is to apply the rate of glacial loss from other parts of the world to the Himalayas. "In the United States the highest glaciers in Alaska are still below the lowest level of Himalayan glaciers. Our 9,500 glaciers are located at very high altitudes. It is completely different system."

"As long as we have monsoons we will have glaciers. There are many factors to consider when we want to find out how quickly (glaciers melt) … rainfall, debris cover, relief and terrain," said Raina.

In response Pachauri said that such statements were reminiscent of "climate change deniers and school boy science".

"I cannot see what the minister's motives are. We do need more extensive measurement of the Himalayan range but it is clear from satellite pictures what is happening."

Many environmentalists said they were also unconvinced by the minister's arguments. Sunita Narain, a member of the Indian prime minister's climate change council and director of the Centre for Science and Environment, said "the report would create a lot of confusion".

"The PM's council has just received a comprehensive report which presents many studies which show clear fragmentation of the glaciers would lead to faster recession. I am not sure what Jairam (Ramesh) is doing."

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/09/india-pachauri-climate-glaciers

Glacier mass degeneration lowest in Sikkim: MoEF Study report rejects global warming as cause for glacier meltdown

Zemu Glacier

GANGTOK, November 10: While challenging the internationally accepted view that Himalayan glaciers are receding due to global warming, a discussion paper by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has explicitly stated that one cannot correlate the impact of global warming on the glaciers on the basis of these small time variations in Sikkim with glacier mass degeneration lowest in Sikkim among all the Himalayan States.

Brought out by V.K. Raina, former Deputy Director-General, Geological Survey of India, for the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the discussion paper ‘A State-of-Art Review of Glacial Studies, Glacial Retreat and Climate Change’ on the Himalayan glaciers points out that it was premature to make a statement that the glaciers were retreating abnormally because of global warming.

The glaciers, although shrinking in volume and constantly showing a retreating front, have not in any way exhibited any abnormal annual retreat of the order that some glaciers in Alaska and Greenland have reported, the report states which was released by Environment Minister Jai Ramesh yesterday in Delhi.

Releasing the documents, Ramesh said that while most Himalayan glaciers were retreating, some were advancing as well. This included the Siachen glacier.

According to the report, all glaciers under observation in the Himalayan region during the past three decades have shown cumulative negative mass balance (determined by annual snow precipitation). Degradation of the glacier mass has been the highest in Jammu and Kashmir, relatively lower in Himachal Pradesh, even less in Uttarakhand, and the lowest in Sikkim - showing a declining trend from the north-west to the north-east.

The report has given a special chapter on Sikkim where it points out that the studies carried in Sikkim in the past 3 decades have revealed that individually, glaciers behave in a different manner to factors beyond the climate such as morphology of valley, shape and size, aspect and slope and other factors.

“However, there are a large number of glaciers which retreated fast, yet there are other glaciers which advanced during the same period of analysis”. The average rise of ELA in Sikkim stands at 47m and there are 10 glaciers which show large rise in ELAs, the report states. There are also 8 glaciers which had little rise in the ELA, the report said adding that there are other glaciers which show depression in ELAs during these 30 years.

Meanwhile, the total ice reserve in Sikkim has reduced to 25.7029 m3 in 2005 from 26.2986 m3 in 1976.

Sikkim has around 84 glaciers covering a total of 691.5 square kms with a snowfield area of 251.22 square kms, official data chronicled through Remote Sensing system last year revealed.
Out these 84 glaciers, Zemu glacier the source of River Teesta is the largest and is located at North Sikkim and its size is around 90.94 sq kms.

The report reveals that the average rate of retreat of glaciers in Sikkim has been calculated to be about 13.02 m per year from 1976 to 2005. Out of 26 glaciers analyzed, 12 glaciers had retreated at a faster rate than average (13.02 m per year), Zemu (14.10 m per year), Tista (14.83 m per year), Jongsang (38.2 m per year), S Lhonak (33.10 m per year), Changsang (22.37 m per year), Lhonak (27.10 m per year), E. Langpo (23.97 m per year), Rathong (18.20 m per year), S. Simpu (17.27 m per year), Umaram (14.03 m per year), N. Lhonak (13.27 m per year) and Tonsang (14.00 m per year). Rest of the glaciers, have shown a below average retreat rate.

The report states that from Zemu glacier has retreated approximately 863 m. However, the retreat was punctuated between 1988 and 2000 with an advanced of 92 m. (7.67 m per year). The areal coverage of glacier increased during this period, it is informed. In a nutshell, Zemu glacier retreated between 1976, advanced for 12 years and again retreated thereafter.

“One can not correlate the impact of global warming on the glaciers on the basis of these small term variations in Sikkim”, the report states. It further stated that these variations at short time scale may be helpful to see the ‘weather change’ but not the ‘climate change’.

A key finding by the study group of all glaciers in the Himalayas from mid 1970s till date which could prove vital for the commission constituted by Sikkim on glaciers was all the glaciers under observation, during the last three decades of 20th century have shown cumulative negative mass balance.

“Degeneration of the glacier mass has been the highest in Jammu & Kashmir (single glacier, 10 years record), relatively lower in Himachal Pradesh ( 3 glaciers, 10 years record), even lower in Uttarakhand (one glacier, 10 years record) and the lowest in Sikkim (one glacier,10 years record)”.

Another key finding that glaciers like Gangotri, Bhagirathkharak and Zemu which had hitherto been showing a rather rapid retreat, along its glacier front, at an average of around 20m per year till up to 2000 AD, has since slowed down considerably, and between September 2007 and June 2009 is practically at a standstill. It is premature to make a statement that glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating abnormally because of the global warming, the report states.

It was in 1965 that a slight deviation - very little – but significant, in the form of assessment of glacier ice thickness by geophysical methods- Seismic and Resistivity was initiated at the Zemu glacier (Sikkim). For the first time it was scientifically established that a glacier of the size of Zemu had ice thickness of above 200m, about a kilometre up stream of the snout, it is informed.

Source: http://voiceofsikkim.com/ / http://www.sikkimexpress.com/index.htm

Power projects of Sikkim red flagged by CIMSE being taken up with highest levels by Power Ministry- Sikkim will be one of the wealthiest States:Shinde

GANGTOK, November 8:

Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has committed that the public sector hydro and thermal power projects would be converted into instruments of social development with the new policy of the Centre to allocate one percent of the total project cost for rehabilitation and development of the persons affected by the projects.

“Earlier the States used to get only 12 percent share of the power generated from the projects. Now we have changed the policy and one percent of the project cost will go to the local area development”,said Shinde to reporters yesterday evening here at Gangtok.

The minister said that the States where the power projects have been also requested to contribute a matching one percent for the development of the local area where the projects are being implemented.

The total will be two percent of the project cost for the local area development which is a huge amount, said Shinde. He further announced that the project affected persons who have lost their land to the projects will get all compensation and benefits due to him.

“The project affected person will get all his dues in addition to 100 units free electricity per month and he can also sell the (surplus)power”, said the minister.

Regarding the employment to the local persons, Shinde said that he has specifically asked that wherever public sector hydro power projects are coming up, a new Industrial Training Institute (ITI)

should come up in the project area. When the foundation stone of the power project is being laid, the ITI school also start to train the local youth and by the time the project starts, the services of the trained local youth can be used and they are employed, he said. He also added that the Ministry will also take up the matter of providing insurance to the project affected persons.

These measures have been launched as part of our corporate social responsibility, said the minister. However, these measures are not binding on the private developers.

Regarding Northeast, the minister said that Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim are very important to achieve the target laid down in the 11th Five Year Plan. Sikkim will become like Bhutan as far as revenue generated from hydel power is concerned, he said.

Sikkim will be a very rich in times to come and many power projects are come up very fast, said the minister asserting the Union government is equally serious about protection of environment and proper rehabilitation is concerned. He credited Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for laying trust on tapping the hydro power potential as a revenue source for Sikkim’s development.

Regarding the six power projects in North Sikkim being put on hold by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, the minister said that the matter has been taken up by the Power & Energy Ministry in the higher levels. I have discussed this with the concerned minister, he said adding that proper attention should also be given to the environment.

Commenting on protest from some quarters of the Sikkimese population towards the implementation of a slew of mega power projects in Sikkim,the minister said that resentment and concerns exists in other States also. Problems will crop up everywhere and we have to sit down and talk, he said.

On Sunday afternoon , the minister addressed the 16th meeting organized by Power Finance Corporation (PFC) with public power utility chiefs at a hotel here in Gangtok.

“It is estimated that for building requisite additional power capacity and associated transmission and distribution network, nearly Rs. 10 lakh crores of nvestment will be required in the next decade.

Thus, the power industry is poised for accelerated growth and role of institutions like PFC, is going to be very significant in mobilizing necessary resources lending to the State power utilities and steering the power sector towards financial and commercial viability, on a sustainable basis”, said Shinde.

The minister said that the Union government has set a capacity addition target of 78,700 MW in the 11th Plan period. “We have so far added more than 18,735 MW and orders are already been placed for the remaining capacity and the projects are under construction. We are still left with half the 11th Plan period and most of these projects are in a position to be commissioned well within the plan period.

However concerns over issues such as land acquisition, delays in supply of plant equipment and tying up of fuel linkage still remain”, he said.

“We are working on short term as well as long term measures to remove the bottlenecks for capacity addition in the power sector”, said Shinde.

source: Sikkim Express

Govt, ACT in dialogue mode finally Let us collectively search for solutions: CM

GANGTOK, October 13: Ending 915 days of protest against proposed mega power projects in Dzongu, North Sikkim, the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) today formally entered into a dialogue with State Government with both sides expressing hopes of early settlement of grievances and concerns attached with the projects.


The State Government had invited ACT today for an ice-breaking meeting for the talks ahead after the anti-hydel body withdrew its 915 days of relay hunger strike on September 27 this year following the offer of talks. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, State power minister Sonam Gyatso and chief secretary TT Dorji were present during the meeting with ACT team led by its president Athup Lepcha and chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha here at Samman Bhavan.

While welcoming the ACT for the dialogue with the State Government, the Chief Minister said that he had never intended to hurt the sentiments of the people of Dzongu, North Sikkim with the mega power projects. These developmental activities have been ushered in the by State Government with the objectives of making Sikkim an economically self-reliant and giving tempo to the ongoing socio-economic development of the State, he said.


Incidentally, today was the first time that Mr. Chamling had come face to face with the ACT since the protest began two years ago. Appealing the ACT to forget the past, the Chief Minister said that both sides should focus on the present and work for the development of the State while giving enough protection to the local aspirations and sentiments. “The doors of dialogue and let us sit together and talk. Let us search for solutions and not focus on problems only. Whatever the State government can do to pacify your concerns, we will do”, said Mr. Chamling asking the ACT to place their grievances and concerns to the Chief Secretary to set the dialogue process in motion.

Mr. Chamling also congratulated the ACT for the democratic mode of protest to raise the concerns attached with the mega power projects in Dzongu. The Chief Minister added that the State government is leaving no stones unturned in developing Dzongu and other parts of North Sikkim. He informed that the State government has already launched into an ambitious project of setting up a monastery inside a massive rock in North Sikkim.

ACT president Athup Lepcha expressed his hopes that the State Government will address the issues and concerns of his body and Lepcha community of Dzongu during the talks.

source:Sikkim Express

ACT calls off hunger strike, Govt offers table talk

Gangtok, October 01:

The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) had called off the relay hunger strike on September 27 following an official letter from the Chief Secretary with offers of table talk among others, thus bringing an end to 915 days of ‘historic’ protest in the Himalayan State.

The letter dated September 19 had requested ACT to withdraw the relay hunger strike which had been going sinc e June 20, 2007. It also contained offer of table talk as a step towards solving the issue with ‘much more concrete’ assurance.

The letter of assurance came from the Government in response to the letter written by ACT on August 2009 raising the ‘illegalities’ of land acquisition for the Hydel Project Developers.

“After thorough deliberation in our meeting at BL House , it was decided that as a confidence building steps towards further initiatives for solving the issue with the Government ACT withdrew the hunger strike,” said Dawa Lepcha, the General Secretary of ACT while speaking to Sikkim Express correspondent.

He further informed that once the puja vacation are over date would be fixed for metting with the government.
“Our main agenda for metting would be scrapping off the major Panang and Teesta stage IV hydel projects in Dzongu”, Mr Lepcha said.

He added that the relay hunger strike has been a massive success for delivering awareness of hydel projects issues in the state on National aas well as Internationally. This huger strike has been an instrumental approach towards awakening the voice of people against the sprouting hydel projects within the Himalayan state.

At the same time they would continue to camp at BL house, Tibet Road unless the things are resolved in totality.

(source:www.voiceofsikkim.com)

ACT alleges Teesta Urja, IRB of subjugating the voices of Sikkimese people

The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) issued a press statement today condemning the ‘arbitrary arrest of innocent Primitive Lepchas’ of Dzongu by ‘Indian Reserve Battalion/Sikkim Police’ allegedly on the behest of Teesta Urja Pvt Ltd at Raman, Upper Dzongu.

“A fact finding team of the grievance cell of ACT after interacting with the victims have found out that contrary to the media report that these youths had trespassed in the office of the Teesta Urja Ltd, at Ramam, the company had in fact trespassed on the ancestral land of the Lepchas and they were extracting building material and wood, even though no compensation has been paid to the land owner of the particular plot”, stated Tseten Lepcha, ACT vice president in the press statement.

According to ACT, the minor altercation that took place on July 21 between the land owner, Tenzing Lepcha and the non-local driver of the company was used as pretext by the company people who then ‘physically abused the youths and then misused the IRB Personnel stationed there to further beat the indigenous Lepchas in their own land, arrested them and assaulted them even after they were put in the cell at Chungthang police station’. These innocent members of tribes were kept without food or water in the cell and no information were given to their families, said ACT.

The ACT termed the above incident as an attempt to ‘subjugate the voices of the Sikkimese public who have been very seriously affected by the destructive hydro projects’. The private company is misusing the presence of the IRB to further harass and intimidate all those who have been suffering silently, alleged ACT.

The ACT in its press statement have demanded immediate withdrawal of the baseless cases against the members of the tribes, provide immediate compensation to all those who had been physically harmed and ensure that all labour camps area removed from the Dzongu area, as per the directions of Ministry of Environment and Forests. The body further said that it will seek the intervention of the Ministry to implement this clause in the Dzongu Region of Teesta Stage III hydro electric project.

The ACT has also demanded the withdrawal of IRB from the remote and peaceful Dzongu region so that the ‘force is not misused by the project developers to suppress the people of North Sikkim’.

source: Sikkim Express

POLICY CONTRADICTION ................................

Below is an extract of the budget speech presentation in the Sikkim Assembly for the fiscal year 2008-09 of the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Mr Pawan Chamling.

Anti Dam protesters and sympathizers in Sikkim and the world over hold him responsible for the making and sanctioning of 27 and more massive hydel projects in Sikkim that will have far reaching negative environmental costs and claims of damage that would far outweigh profit and social gains.

The extract below is a rather articulate speech on his understanding of the current global environment crisis and on reading the aforesaid column, one would wonder whether the spirit of the speech is carried out in letter and spirit or rather remains his biggest contradiction is for everybody to see and the future generations to ponder.................................

River Course Development Project

We must be fully aware of the fact that our river system and the rich hydel resources that we are blessed with today are susceptible to depletion with the alarming reports of receding glaciers in the Himalayas. Our planet earth’s warming trend with unchecked human-contributed green-house gases has caused the average global temperature to rise at an alarming rate. The predictions by eminent experts on the imminent pit-falls of these disastrous developments indicate that the entire Himalayan region is susceptible to catastrophic consequences. If the global warming continues at the present rate, the Himalayan glacier is likely to deteriorate at an alarming rate from 500,000 sq. kms at present to 100,000 sq. kms by the year 2030. It is reported that glaciers in the Himalayas are receding at an average rate of 15 metres annually and the entire Himalayan region has warmed up by about 1 Celsius since the 1970’s.

We have today two serious problems.

Firstly, because of the global warming glaciers are melting fast and in an unprecedented rate. This has two fold impacts. The thinning and retreat of the glaciers is resulting in the formation of new glaciers. The snow melting leads to influx of huge quantities of water into Glacier Lake. When the water level in these lakes rises, it breaches the dam which is formed of ice, boulders and sand. Often catastrophic, the surge of water and debris caused by the sudden outburst of glacier lakes in high mountains can change the course of rivers. This leads to sudden rise in river flow and causes untold misery to all life forms in the Himalayan region.

The other impact of unnatural glacial melt is the drastic reduction in the natural flow pattern of rivers. This also means change of the entire hydrological system leading to possible dryness in our river chain during lean seasons of say January to April.

Secondly, these rivers carry in them culture, livelihood, food, tourism, transport, boulders and sands, environment, bio-spheres, forests and creative activities. They are much more than water that is quietly flowing. Our folk songs, our literature, our music and our social mobilisations are also based on these rivers.

For instance, under the 1951 scheme of “floatation”, timbers used to be floated through the rivers both in log and sawn forms. This scheme was found to be very handy as the transport cost involved was minimum. However, there were massive losses of forest resources mainly because of the flood in the riverine belt and ill-timing of the launching of timber. I was reading the historical documents and found that during 1959-60, out of the total of 1,10,000 cubic feet of timber floated in two consignments, 86,000 cubic feet were lost in floods and only 24,000 cubic feet of timber could be salvaged. As a result, the saw mill set up by the Forest Department which supplied packaging materials to Fruit Preservation factory and Distil­lery at Rangpo had to be closed down. This shows for years together these rivers also served as a means of transport.

If these rivers become dry, if these rivers are damaged we will lose everything that we can imagine - from culture to livelihood and from environment to development projects.

I have been saying that this is a local problem but requires global solution. Therefore, our Government has taken two significant steps on this critical issue. Firstly I have personally made several pleas to the Union Government on the need to understand the impact of global warming on our mountain system and work on minimising the adverse impact. As a result, the Government of India has now announced a special centre for the Glaciology management in Sikkim. I am sure this will be functional within next few months.

Secondly, we ourselves have set up a high level commission comprising of very widely known glacial experts, mountain development experts and geo-scientists. The Commission has already started its task. Possibly this is the first Commission of its nature in the entire country. I can proudly say that we are one of the first few movers on tackling the global warming impact from the global perspectives.

However, I would also like to induct a social-economic strategy to deal with the problems faced by the people who have remained on and alongside the river courses in the State. I, therefore, announce a provision of Rs 50 lakhs as the River Course Development Project (RCDP) Fund. This RCDP will be unique fund once again in the whole of India.

This fund will be utilized in four specific areas namely, i) preparing the river course and other inhabitants of Sikkim to prepare for facing the global warming impact. This means they will be prepared for various social-economic and environmental adaptation techniques, ii) the river courses projects will be planned primarily to streamline the wildness of rivers through various modern techniques, iii) developing various new livelihood projects based on rivers including river rafting, water ski and river course tourism, iv) study the entire hydrological flows on a time series and historical basis and make future projections on flow pattern. This Fund will be managed and operated by the Department of Forest and Environment.

(Hydel Projects sanctioned in Sikkim)

Below is an article published in the December 1997 issue of Himal , a magazine featuring South Asian political perspectives and published from Kathmandu

How a Dam Is Done In

It must be a curiousity to many to see how a government will finally, say, cancels, a hydropower project when the pressure gets too much. What we have seen with mega-projects like Narmada or Tehri is the "government side" buying time, obfuscating, promising and not delivering (as in the case with Mr Deve Gowda as Prime Minister and Sunder Lal Bahuguna as person-on-fast on the banks of the Bhagirathi), and so on. But now a state government in India has actually pulled the plug on a project. And we were interested to know how it was done.

A strong monastery-backed lobby in Sikkim, identified with the Bhutia and Lepcha 'original population', has for a few years fought the Gangtok government's plans to dam the Rathong Chu, which flows through Sikkim from its source at the base of the Khangchendzonga massif. The catchment area is held in great reverence by the indigenous Sikkimese, who were greatly perturbed that the spiritual nature of the site would be disturbed by a dam-building exercise with its environmental, economic and demographic fallouts.

While a case was pending at the Supreme Court in Delhi, repeated representations were made to the government of Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who has made it a point to show his sensitivity to the ethnic sentiments. The Gangtok officials tried the usual prevarication, but the opponents proved too tenacious and the 30 megawatt project had to die. And so, at a large gathering of lamas and lay people from all over Sikkim at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok on 20 August, the Chief Minister announced: "To honour and uphold the sentiments, religion and culture of the Sikkimese people and to save the environment, the Rathong Chu Hydel Project is being scrapped."

Added Chamling, taking on a heroic posture, "We are willing to sacrifice for Sikkim and Sikkimese. Let our chair go. We will not continue staying in our chair doing bad things for the people."

But still, what is the mechanism to stop a project? Apparently, all it takes is a notification by a state's Chief Secretary (in this case, K. Sreedhar Rao), "by order and in the name of the Governor", with copies to various departments, stating that, "The State Government is hereby pleased to order the closure of the Rathong Chu Hydel Project, with effect from 20th August, 1997".

That's all there is to it.

source:

http://www.himalmag.com/Briefs_nw1713.html

Sikkim sends SOS to Shinde to remove CISME redflag on six hydel projects of North Sikkim

(Union Power Minister, Mr Shushil Kumar Shinde)

The State Government has sought the intervention of Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde regarding the six hydel power projects proposed in North Sikkim that has been withheld by the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoEF).

It is informed that the State Government had approached Mr. Shinde for permission to go ahead with the ‘red flagged’ power projects whose total projected capacity is 1047 MW. The private developers of the six power projects are also putting pressure on the State Government to approach the Centre for go ahead with the construction of the projects.

Sources informed that the State government has explained the facts of the six hydel projects in North Sikkim to the Union Power Minister during a recent video conference with him. The State Government has urged the Union Power Minister to take up the matter with the MoEF to remove the bottleneck for the construction projects to begin, the sources said. It is informed that the Mr. Shinde has assured to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, the State Government will also separately take up the case with the MoEF over the six hydel power projects and seek review of the report of the Centre for Inter-Disciplinary Studies of Mountains and Hill Environment (CISME) about the carrying capacity of Teesta River.

(Lachung Valley)

It may be recalled that the MoEF had on July asked the State Government to defer the six hydel power projects in upstream of Teesta River on the basis of CISME report which had concluded that these projects will endanger the fragile economy and bio-diversity of the mountain range in North Sikkim.

The MoEF had taken the CISME report seriously and derailed six proposed hydel power projects in North Sikkim giving the State Government no option but to put the proposed projects in hold following the Centre’s directions to the State Government not to proceed with the construction of the six projects.

The projects affected by the Centre's directive include Teesta Stage I (280 MW), Teesta Stage II (330 MW), Lachen (120 MW), BOP (99 MW) and Bimkyong (99 MW) and Lachung (99MW).
Various formalities like land acquisition and survey works by the developers at the six projects have been stopped after the MoEF wrote a terse letter last month suggesting that these projects were unviable citing a study report by CISME which effectively derailed the projects.

Apart from approaching the Union Power Minister over the derailed hdyel power projects in North Sikkim, the State Government had earlier taken out a white paper on hydel power development in Sikkim which had been tabled in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly during the recent budget session.

The white paper has recommended the State Government to reinvestigate the Chungthang region in North Sikkim where the Ministry of Environment and Forests have asked the State Government that projects above Chungthang region should not be considered for construction of dams due to its vast biodiversity. The State Government cannot abandon projects with 1050 MW capacity that have been awarded to the developers without a proper examination of the issues.

The State Government should, therefore reinvestigate the region to find the factual position and arrive at the final decision with regard of the development of these projects, the white paper had recommended.

(Teesta III Hydropower project, Chungthang : This 1200 MW project is being executed in Sikkim by M/s Teesta Urja Limited, also an Athena Group company)

Source: Sikkim Express

Poor track record of Athena at Teesta III project in Sikkim

Athena Power Company that has been given the right to develop the massive 1750 MW Demwe Lower project in Arunachal Pradesh has a poor track record going by the records. The same company which is one of the debutants in power sector is developing the 1200 MW Teesta III hydropower project in Sikkim.

Teesta III Hydropower project: This 1200 MW project is being executed in Sikkim by M/s Teesta Urja Limited. Teesta Urja Ltd is also an Athena Group company. The Expert Appraiisal Committee (EAC) for the River Valley and hydropower projects of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, in its minutes for the April 21, 2009 meeting notes with reference to the Teesta III project, “It was seen during the field visit that the excavated materials are dumped on the slope of the Teesta River without constructing the retaining wall. There was every possibility of the excavated material going down in the river with heavy rain, as the rainy season has already started.” Such dumping of the excavated material is in complete violation of the Environment Protection Act and also the conditions of clearance given to the project. The EAC response was totaly inadequate, “The committee directed the project authorities to carry out the construction of retaining walls immediately at all muck disposal sites, before the actual construction takes place.”

Moreover in December 2008, the Central Electricity Authority of Govt of India observed that Teesta Urja had made serious deviations from the approved DPR (detailed Project Report) for the 1200 Mega Watts Teesta III project and this was brought to the notice of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydro electric projects of Ministry of Environment and Forests on January 1, 2009 by civil society groups. This issue was discussed in the April 21, 2009 EAC meeting and the minutes note, “changes adopted by Teesta Urja contravene environmental clearance accorded on 3rd August, 2006, as per the recommendations made by the EAC and the project was issued environmental clearance with a condition that:- In case of change in the scope of the project, project would require a fresh appraisal”.

The Carrying Capacity Study of Teesta Basin in Sikkim by Centre for Inter Disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment (CISMHE), notes that Chungthang, the location of the Teesta III project is one of the areas where high diversity of mammals, birds and reptiles is found. Further, the conclusion of the CISMHE study (page 80-81) is unequivocal, “Looking at the number of species of studied taxa and endemic exclusive and endangered species of studied taxa, Zone III is very sensitive and if the development project (stage-III) is executed in this zone (1800-2800 m, Temperate broadleaf forest, near Chungthang), an irreversible ecological damage is expected with respect to biological environs.” The report further says (page 210), the project would lead to loss of biological “wealth which is unique to this region”. Shockingly, the EIA of the project found no wildlife in the project area. It is clear that the EIA of the project was of very poor quality.

It is clear that the Athena, which otherwise has no experience of building large hydro projects, has very poor track record at the only place where it is building a mega hydro project. Such a company cannot be trusted with the biggest private hydro project of the country so far, that too in a pristine area and a state where a private project of any magnitude is yet to be taken up.

source: www.arunachaltimes.com

Promises of huge revenue and prosperity from hydel project has dazzled the public, says ACT

Basing on the White Paper on hydel projects, the Affected Citizens of Teesta has said that the State Government’s contribution of 26 percent equity share in the hydel projects through loans taken from project developers and the subsequent repayment with interest from 12 percent free power that the state is to get from the projects has dazzled the public with promises of huge revenue and prosperity.

Quoting the White Paper that taking a loan for equity contribution might not be very attractive proposition, ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha has questioned the reasons for the random implementation of numerous projects in such haste “if the future prospect of revenue generation on which the hydel projects are being justified and glorified is in serious doubt”.

He has further raised concerns whether projects would function as being projected before the loans are paid back given the volatile nature of rivers, landscapes and the receding glaciers.
He added that the paragraph from the White Paper surely does not give a promising picture.

Acquisition process for Panang 289 MW hydel project is completely illegal, contends ACT

(Lingzam, Dzongu - The Panan Hydel Project will be destroying this landscape )

‘Lands acquired under Panang project & Teesta Stage III cannot be said to have acquired for public purpose’

The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) has today said that the acquisition process followed by Himagiri Hydro Energy Private Limited company and the Sikkim State Government pertaining to Panang 280 MW hydro electric project is “completely illegal” from the point of view of the land acquisition laws, company acts and rules.

In a recently issued press release, ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha said they have “discovered” that Himagiri Hydro Energy Pvt. Ltd being a private limited company (with only three share holders, that too within the family) cannot request the government to acquire lands other than those needed specifically for labour colonies and related amenities.

“The lands needed for setting up of other parts of the projects cannot be acquired by the government for the said company. Since the entire lands needed by the company for Panang Project, has been acquired by the government on behalf of the said company, clear violation of the Section 44B of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, has taken place among others. Section 44B prohibits such action and proceedings,” Mr Lepcha said in the release.

He added that the acquiring of lands identified for colony in Lingzya near the proposed dam site is also in violation of the “Specific Condition” of the clearance letter of MOEF. When there was specific condition that no labour or staff colony will be allowed inside Dzongu, there was no need to acquire the lands that were identified for setting up of labour colony.

The ACT general secretary has at the same time pointed out said that the claims that the lands are being acquired for “Public Purpose” are in direct conflict with the acquisition laws, as not a single paise has been paid for compensation from the public revenue, which is mandatory for the acquisition to qualify as public purpose. “As per the law, whole or a part of compensation has to be paid / contributed from public revenue in case of acquisition for public purpose,” Mr Lepcha said adding “the 26 percent equity share that is projected is not part of the compensation”.

Interestingly, the lands under Panang project and Teesta Stage III and many others cannot be said to have acquired for public purpose because the entire compensation has been paid by the companies without a single paise contribution from public revenue. This, ACT believes is a blatant violation of the Part VII of L.A Act, 1894, especially in the case of Himagiri Hydro Energy Private Limited. The laws and rules are being neglected and mocked by the authorities, ACT general secretary said.

However, in this regard, ACT has submitted a memorandum to the State Chief Secretary to look into the matter and that rectification done before September 21, 2009, after which ACT will place the matter in front of the highest court of judiciary.

On other front it was decided in a executive body meeting held on August 2 that
ACT will form a separate grievance cell to look into the R&R implementation and the exploitation of the project affected people (PAP) and the environment of those areas where the project work have started, especially in the case of Teesta Stage III. This wing, it was decided, will be headed by ACT Vice President –II, cum Chief Co-ordinator Tseten Lepcha, the release said.

Source: Sikkim Express

Dzongu protests may not go well with primary parameters of national security: White Paper

The white paper tabled by the State Government on ‘development of hydropower resources of Sikkim’ has opined that the visible protest observed in Dzongu against the hydel power projects may not go well with the primary parameters of national security.

“A section of Lepchas of Dzongu in North district (under ACT) have raised vital issues related to the likely adverse impacts of hydro power projects on the conservation of their land, livelihood and environment. Their concerns need to be need to be examined from a very local perspective”, the white paper states.

The New Delhi based research agency, Entecsol International which had prepared the white paper for Sikkim government further highlights danger signs for the Lepchas in their last bastion, the protected reserve of Dzongu.

Dzongu area is a declared reserve area exclusively for the Lepchas with restrictions on other communities and tribes to settle in this area.

However, a survey conducted in 13 revenue blocks way back in 1981 showed out of total 1306 households (7745 population), the Lepcha households were only 737 (4331 population-56%), the white paper mentions.

“In today’s context this also meant that in the reserve area exclusively for the Lepchas also, the revenue blocks were swamped by other communities. This is a danger sign of shrinking demographic and topographic trend to this primitive tribe of Sikkim”, the white paper states.

“Since North district is surrounded by international borders, such kind of protest with strong undercurrent of ethnicity and socio-political deprivation may not go well with the primary parameters of national security. This definitely needs the attention of the government”, the white paper suggests.

source: Sikkim Express

ACT'S protest a blatant example of institutional failure’

“The StateGovernment has taken a piecemeal approach to address the concerns of the affected people” says White Paper on Development of Hydropower resources of Sikkim

While blaming the communication gap that led to the entire issue of power projects come as ‘bolt from the blue’ to the clueless stakeholders, the white paper on ‘development of hydropower resources in Sikkim’ points out that the protracted hunger strike carried out by the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) against the power projects proposed in North Sikkim as an blatant example of this ‘institutional failure’.

The white paper has been prepared by Entecsol International and had been tabled by Sikkim government in the concluding day of the budget session in the Assembly yesterday.

Devoting a chapter exclusively to ACT in its executive summery, the white paper claims that there is no dedicated State level mechanism to seriously look into the grievances of the affected people.

“The State government has taken a piecemeal approach to address the concerns of the affected people”, the white paper states adding that there is no permanent institution to seriously look into the concerns raised by ACT.

The white paper further slams the State government by rejecting the high level committee led by Chief Secretary. “The setting up of the high level committee led by the Chief Secretary did not provide any durable solution to their concerns”, the paper states. It also expresses its concerns that the concerns raised on hydro power projects are increasing becoming a volatile and sensitive political issue which is not good for a border and otherwise a peaceful State of Sikkim.

“Interestingly even basic facts are not available in the public domain which would in fact enable people to formulate informed opinion and sound judgement on the issues raised by ACT”, the white paper says. It also exposes few interesting variables and parameters not known to the public at large regarding the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the controversial Panan project.

The white paper states that land for the Panan project will be required from five revenue blocks -Lingtham, Lingdem, Sakyong-Pentog, Lingzya and Salim-Pakel while the affected families is 80 and the land acquired for various project components from these families vary from 0.002 to 0.734 hectares only.

Highlighting the issues associated with the power projects, the white paper said that all these issues need to be seen from a single but overwhelming overarching fact that the State government also does not have any consistent experience of dealing with such projects and their developers in the past.

“For almost fifty seven years (1947-2004) after independence, Sikkim developed its hydropower potential at the rate of 1.67 MW per annum. And today suddenly, the State is going to develop a capacity of 8,000 MW in just 5-15 years. All this is happening without any major up-gradation of professional management capacity of the Energy & Power and other related departments. On the one hand, this shows the later realization of the latent developmental potentials of the State and on the other, it raises the need for capacity development of State machinery to manage and cope up with these developments”.

The white paper added that the State government should have been very open in its approach, transparent in its handling and receptive in its management considering the above facts. “This is apparently lacking in the very initial phase of the hydropower development in the State”.

Regarding the Panan project, the bedrock of the anti-hydel protests in North Sikkim, the white paper seeks to wave off the environmental and other concerns being raised. The submergence created by 56 m high dam proposed in the project does not constitute critical habitat of any plant or animal species and hence any major negative impact on any species or its habitat is not expected, the white paper states.

The threat perceived from large labour population generally employed in such developmental projects will be a temporary phenomenon as the labour has to vacate the site within 6 months of the commissioning of the project, the white paper points out. Moreover, as per the conditions of MoEF while issuing environmental clearances to the project, the developer shall construct its labour camps outside Dzongu, it added.

The white paper also underlines the absence of educational and research institutions to study the hydel power project issues on a long term basis. This has made the situation more precarious, the paper admits.

Even the old established institutions including ICAR, Geological and Botanical Survey of India, GB Pant Institute and even Sikkim Manipal University seem to have shown little interest in studying the likely impacts, both positive and negative even from their respective fields of concerns, the white paper says.

source: Sikkim Express

8000 MW, ONLY WAY OUT SAYS GOVERNMENT.......

White paper recommends expeditious harnessing of 8000 MW hydro potential of Sikkim

A voluminous white paper on hydropower resources of Sikkim tabled by the State Government in the State Assembly today has opined that Sikkim must expedite the development of its 8000 MW hydropower resources as the ‘only way out’ to meet the Millennium Developmental Goals set forth.

“The considered opinion emerging from the analysis of this report is that Sikkim must expedite the development of its hydropower resources at a faster pace. Utilize the hydropower revenue for the social, educational, economic and other developmental aspects of its people. That is the only way out, if Sikkim wants to lead other States in the country in speedy development and meeting the Millennium Developmental Goals set forth”, states the white paper tabled by State power minister Sonam Gyasto Lepcha on the concluding day of the budget session today in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly.

Prepared by Entecsol International, the 209 pages white paper in its executive summary said that the white paper on the development of hydropower resources of Sikkim is aimed at examining the State of economy, hydropower resources and the status of their development in Sikkim.

The white paper claims that it also examines the steps taken by the government for facilitating and expediting the development of its hydropower resources and the constraints, issues and challenges faced by the government in exploiting this resource. It evaluates the potential financial and economic benefits that Sikkim can harness from the development of its hydropower resources and exporting the surplus energy to other parts of the country.

Out of the total hydropower potential of Sikkim of 8000 MW, the total installed capacity as on March 31 this year is only 610.7 MW.

The State government has awarded 24 hydropower projects at a total estimated installed capacity of around 4,694 MW to various developers out of which, 2,081 MW is expected to be commissioned within the 11th Plan and remaining within the 12th Plan.

All the projects are run of the river schemes.

In its recommendations, the white paper called for immediate structural changes in the State power sector for efficient management of the Sikkim power sector coupled with the need to manage a quantum jump in the development of hydropower resources from the existing level of about 200 MW to 8000 MW. The white paper has recommended that the State government should establish two corporate bodies fully owned by the State government-Sikkim Hydro Power Corporation Ltd (SHPC) and Sikkim Transmission and Distribution Corporation Ltd (SPDCL). It has also recommended that Sikkim Power Development Corporation Ltd which has not met the objectives for which it was set up should be wound up by transferring its assets to SHPC.

The SHPC will manage all the existing generation stations in the State and also handle the entire power
allocation, sale and purchase of electricity presently handled by the State power department, the white paper recommends.

On the other hand, the proposed SPDCL will manage the existing and the proposed transmission and distribution systems in the State.

“The State should also come out with its Hydro Power Policy as suggested in the conclusions and recommendations chapters of this report”, states the white paper. It has also recommended that a State level Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy that matches the provisions in the Central government’s concerned policy should also be formulated.

“An Independent Monitoring and Evaluation Team (IMET) as detailed in the report should be constituted immediately to provide the government with an independent assessment about the project execution and to work as an impartial link between various stakeholders and the government”.

Regarding the harnessing of the balance potential of about 2736 MW which is yet to be awarded, the white paper has suggested that creating of shell companies by SHPC which will then award the projects after international competitive bidding. The white paper has stressed on the immediate need to set up a Project Review Committee to review the review the projects made by the developers in the establishing the projects already awarded.

“Projects where the progress is not matching with the targeted milestones as envisaged in the MoUs/project award agreements should be cancelled”.

The white paper has also recommended the State Government to reinvestigate the Chungthang region in North Sikkim where the Ministry of Environment and Forests have asked the State Government that projects above Chungthang region should not be considered for construction of dams due to its vast biodiversity. The State Government cannot abandon projects with 1050 MW capacity that have been awarded to the developers without a proper examination of the issues, the white paper said.

The State Government should, therefore reinvestigate the region to find the factual position and arrive at the final decision with regard of the development of these projects, the white paper recommends.
The State Government has also been suggested to give priority to development of wind and solar energy projects for serving the rural masses living in the deep mountainous region.

The white paper in its genesis of protests against hydropower development in Sikkim has attributed it non-involvement of the locals in the identification of proposed projects.

“For many of the local stakeholders who are affected (or likely to be) by these projects, the entire issue of power projects came like a bolt from the blue as they are clueless about, who was doing it and why and what will they get. The communication gap and absence of participation of local stakeholders was a major institutional failure, which could have been avoided through a massive awareness campaign before launching these projects”, the white paper said pointing to the protracted hunger strike carried out by anti-hydel body Affected Citizens of Teesta as a blatant example of this institutional failure.

One upfront challenge that needs to be met head-on by the State Government is to strike a fine balance in the developmental needs of the State, the natural resource need and biodiversity management, conservation of socio-cultural ethos and sustainability of ecological balance. The confidence in the minds of the people must also be instilled by adopting a fair-handed approach in developing the hydropower resource by issuing a State level Hydropower Policy.

Regarding the major issue of land procurement for the hydro projects, the white paper states the total land required for projects in North Sikkim is just 0.29 percent of the available land in North Sikkim.

The white paper also states that Sikkim will be getting annual revenue of Rs. 1337.79 crores during the first 15 years after the projects of current 4694 MW which is being developed is commissioned. In addition, the State government will earn about Rs. 22.3 crores as cess annually and Rs. 178.368 crores per annum as sale proceeds of 1 percent free power for local area development, the white paper adds.

These projects in Sikkim would provide employment to 3000-5000 skilled persons, 6500-10000 semi-skilled persons and 6500 to 10000 un-skilled persons.

The report has concluded that despite enormous advantages appreciated by all, there are undercurrents of dissatisfaction, misplaced apprehensions and misunderstandings created by lack of effective information flows. While genuine concerns need to be addressed immediately, the wrong apprehensions should be warded off by proper briefings, public hearings and disseminating the information and the steps taken by the government to address the issues, it is suggested.

In the backdrop of the national need for growth of electricity sector to 12 percent per annum, the white paper has concluded that Sikkim has to expedite the development of its 8000 MW hydropower potential so that then nation, state and locals benefit.

DEEP ECOLOGY, DAMS, & DZONGULAND LEPCHAS PROTEST- Narratives about their Threatened Land ............

Kerry Little is an Australian writer who is a PhD candidate in the School of Social Inquiry at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). Her work involves recording traditional and contemporary Lepcha stories and examining how modernity and globalization has impacted the Lepchas' connection to their traditions.

She records Lepcha stories in the context of a major protest by Lepcha activists against mega-hydro-electric projects which are slated for the Lepcha Reserve in Dzongu in North Sikkim, north-east India.

Eco-philosophy and the deep ecology movement provides the framework in which Little understands the Lepchas’ (who are nature-worshippers) feeling for their land. Little`s PhD is non-traditional, enabling her to present her narrative-based work within the framework of creative non-fiction.

You can access this work of her's @
http://trumpeter.athabascau.ca/index.php/trumpet/article/view/1151/1452

Anti-hydel body formed in West Sikkim

( Darap Village, West Sikkim)
An anti-hydel forum has formed by the affected families of Darap and Salley in West Sikkim who have vowed not to let the establishment of Gammon India hydel power project at any costs.

The anti-hydel body, ‘Rangit Affected Families’ draws its members from the project affected families in Darap and Salley areas.

In a press release, the organization said the decision to oppose the power project was taken to protect their villages and the State. We will never give our land for the project as these lands belongs to our ancestors and will be inherited by our coming generations, the members of the organization said.

ACT alleges State govt of bypassing laws during land acquisition process for power developers

Demands an enquiry commission or will take up legal measures

GANGTOK, July 18: The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) today alleged the State government of having ‘bypassed and neglected laws and procedures’ pertaining to land acquisition, ‘especially in the case of acquiring land for private companies who are developing hydro power projects’ in the State. The alleged ‘bypassed’ laws were Amending Act 68, 1984 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1984, Land Acquisition (Companies) Rules, 1963 and the Land Acquisition (Companies) Act, 1963. The authorities of Sikkim have blatantly imposing the defunct emergency clause of the Land Acquisition Act, 1984 while acquiring lands for the hydro project developers, said ACT. “This has made Land Acquisition Rules, 1977 of Sikkim government illegal and unconstitutional which in turn has made all proceedings for acquisition of land or private companies null and void since September 24, 1984”, said ACT. Basing its arguments on RTI documents, the anti-hydel body said that the Land Revenue department has replied that the Land Acquisition (Companies) Rules 1963 has not been enforced in Sikkim. This has deprived the innocent public off their benefits of the said Act, it said. The ACT also claimed that forest lands are been acquired in blatant violations of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The glaring example is that 61.549 hectares of forest land at Chungthang subdivision have been acquired and compensation has been paid without the prior FCA clearance from Ministry of Forests, it said. “Some of the MoUS executed by the government and the power project developers are found to be defeating the old laws and Article 371 F (k) (1) and 19 (5) of the Indian Constitution”, said ACT. Stating the above ‘facts’ promote and justify the 752 days of ongoing relay hunger strike of ACT, the body has submitted a representation to the Chief Secretary appealing the State government to constitute an inquiry commission headed by a renowned retired Chief Justice of High Court or a retired Judge of Supreme Court to unearth the facts on before September 21 this year. Failing which ACT will take the matter to highest judiciary in Sikkim for public interest and justice, ACT warned demanding all the construction works undertaken by the hydro power developers should be ‘suspended’ throughout Sikkim until the completion of the proceedings of the commission. “The State of Sikkim cannot deprive the people of their livelihood, land, statutory and constitutional rights by violating the statutes and constitution to give undue benefits to capitalist companies belonging to the private sector”, said ACT in its representation submitted to the Chief Secretary. source: Sikkim Express

OFFICIALS CONFIRM MOEF ADVICE NOT TO TAKE UP HYDEL PROJECTS ABOVE CHUNGTHANG

Officials of the Power & Energy Department have confirmed that they have been advised by the Central government not to take up any more projects on the Teesta beyond Chungthang in accordance with the recommendations made in the Carrying Capacity Study report of the Teesta Basin.

It may be recalled that the Afeected Citizens of Teesta had recently reminded the Ministry of Environment & Forests of its own stipulation that there would be no more environmental clearances granted to hydel projects on the Teesta (above Chungthang) until an independent carrying capacity study of the Teesta Basin was completed. This, the central ministry had specefied while granting environmental clearance to the Teesta Stage V HEP.

(The Teesta River a little above Chungthang)

Following this and as per the independent committee on the carrying capacity of the Teesta Basin, officials here confirm that the central minstry has intimated it that there should be no projects above Chungthang will be considered for environmental clearance.

Senior officials, acknowledging this, inform that the State has been advised not to take up any more projects in the region as recommended in the Teesta carrying capacity report. At the same time, officials also inform that the state has yet to respond to this." This stipulation has been put forward by the Central government without taking the state into confidence or consulting us."

It is informed that at present there are total 6 hydel projects under development above Chungthang. Apart from the Teesta I and II, there are a few projects in Lachen, and Lachung including the 99MW Bimkyong HEP, 99MW Tahngchhi HEP and 90MW Bop HEP.

The state government is yet to take up this issue with the Central ministry. Officials inform that the state government has to reassess the situation as it has not taken into consideration the study done by an independent study group on the carrying capacit of the Teesta. At the same time, it is also informed that earlier, there had been some anamolies identified in the report on the Teesta carrying capacityin light of which, it is opined that there may have to be a committee to carry out a fresh study.

However, projects can be undertaken below Chungthang with adequate precautions, inform officials. The final word of the government on this is still awaited.

source: Sikkim Now!

ACT WRITES TO UNION ENVIRONMENT MINISTER SEEKING WITHDRAWL OF ENVIRONMENT SITE FOR HYDEL PROJECTS AROUND CHUNGTHANG

Affected Citizens: actsikkim@yahoo.com to jairam@sansad.nic.in

Hon'ble Sir,

With due respect the undersigned would to appeal to your honour to save the fragile mountain ecology and the endangered demography of the indegenous tribes of sikkim by consenting to one of our request (attachment),

Since,we are living in small remote state with less population ,it is very difficult to get our popular demands heard by the govt of india. after the prompt action by your honour in the matter of conflict of interest involving the EAC chairman, we see a glimmer of hope in you.

submitted with the hope that our voices will be heard in by our Government.

Thanking You.

Yours sincerely,

Tseten Lepcha

Attachment:

AFFECTED CITIZENS OF TEESTA

Chungthang,

North Sikkim.

To,

Shri Jairam Rameshji,

Hon’ble Union Minister for Environment

(independent Charge),Govt of india

New Delhi 7^th July 2009

SUB: IMPLEMENTATION OF CARRYING CAPACITY REPORT

Hon’ble Sir,

With due respect, I would like to bring to your kind notice the following facts for kind information and immediate consideration:

That while awarding the environmental clearance for the Teesta Hydro electric Power project Stage V, the MOEF had specified that no more environmental clearance would be granted to studies on the Teesta River until an independent carrying capacity studies of the Teesta Basin is completed. Accordingly the Carrying Capacity studies was entrusted to CENTRE FOR INTER-DISCIPLINARY STUDIES OF MOUNTAIN & HILL ENVIRONMENT,DELHI UNIVERSITY,DELHI(CISME) and the findings were accepted by the Ministry.

As per the finding/recommendation of the studies the MOEF had written to the Govt of Sikkim that No Hydro projects above Chungthang, North Sikkim will be considered for environmental Clearance.

However, even after such explicit orders the private Developers are carrying out their survey operation in these areas as the Environmental site clearances have not been withdrawn.

Therefore, your honour is requested to kindly order the withdrawal of the environmental site orders given to Polyplex Pvt ltd for 99MW Bimkyong HEP,99MW Tangchi HEP and 90Mw Bop HEP and other projects planned in area located above Chungthang as per carrying capacity report.

If the companies are permitted to continue their work, later on they will claim that lot of resources have been invested and as such these projects have to be cleared, causing tremendous damage to the ecology and the people here. Moreover, the carrying capacity studies after spending 5 crores of public money will be a colossal waste of resource and effort and above all the Authority of the Govt of India will be undermined.

Thanking You,

Yours sincerely

Tseten lepcha

Vice-P /chief Coordinator

Affected Citizens of Teesta,

Chungthang, North Sikkim.

Email;cten00@gmail.com

Union Power Minister dedicates 510 MW Teesta Stage V hydro power plant to the nation

GANGTOK, July 04:Union Power Minster Sushil Kumar Shinde today dedicated to the nation the 510 MW Teesta Stage V hydel power station commissioned by National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) during a formal ceremony at Balutar located in East Sikkim along the Teesta river, some 40 kms away from the State capital. Built at a cost of Rs. Rs 2619 crores and completed in a span of eight years, the Teesta Stage V mega power project had been fully commissioned in March last year and is one of the largest hydel power plant in the Northeast region. The electricity being generated at Teesta Stage V plant is being supplied to power deficit States of West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar which had previously entered into a purchase agreement with NHPC. The Teesta Stage V plant will go a long way to tide over the power shortage in West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar, said Mr. Shinde to mark the dedication to the nation of the hydel plant. The Union Minister also added that the commissioning of the hydel plant has also helped the Himalayan State of Sikkim financially as it has been getting 12 per cent free power of its installed capacity which fetched it about 125 crores annually to emerge as a permanent source of revenue which could be utilised for various development works. “The border State has benefited in terms of infrastructure development and social welfare of the populace inhabiting near the project site as the public sector hydro developer has pumped huge money to cater to education, health, roads and other facilities for the local people”, Mr. Shinde said. The Union Minister lavished praise on Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for his commitment to the State’s development. Mr. Shinde said that it was due to Mr. Chamling’s leadership that the border State of Sikkim will become financially self-reliant in years to come once all the ongoing power project construction works are completed and get commissioned. Contrary to you (Sikkim) to look up to the Centre for funds, the country looks upon Sikkim for electricity and other resources, Mr. Shinde said in a lighter vein. With more hydro projects in pipeline in Sikkim to the tune of the projected capacity of over 5500 MW to be completed in the next couple of years, Mr. Shinde said that the small State like Sikkim has emerged as a key destination for tapping its natural resources in terms of hydro power projects. The Union Minister also promised all assistance to the state government for implementation of the rural electrification in Sikkim under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), including that of 25 villages left out from the scheme as was demanded by the Chief Minister. Mr. Shinde said that the laying out of the electricity lines by the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) for supply of power from various hydro projects in Sikkim will also be done expeditiously. The Union Minister also showed his commitment towards Sikkim by asking NHPC Chief Managing Director SK Garg to appoint one official at each commissioned and proposed plants in the state to deal specifically with the relief and rehabilitation-related issues of the general public after the Chief Minister raised the pending demands of the people living near the Teesta Stage V project. Mr. Shinde said that he will personally monitor the relief and rehabilitation measures for those people evacuated for the construction of the hydel plant or living nearly. He further said that he was in favour of more local people getting jobs at the hydel projects and said the Centre will open a ITI for imparting technical education at an estimated cost of Rs. 5 crore so as to train the youths for the requirements of technical jobs at the hydel plants. The State government should consider finding out a suitable plot somewhere between the two hydel projects (Teesta Stage IV and V) for setting up the educational institution so that the youths located at either side of the two plants may benefit, he said. Besides Sikkim and its people, the NHPC employees too came for effusive praise for the commissioning of the hydel project here as Mr. Shinde announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 10,000 for each of 412 employees with the public sector hydro developer at its Teesta Stage V unit. Earlier in his speech, the Chief Minister raised the pending demands of the people affected by the Teesta Stage V project. While pointing out that Sikkim has dedicated a 510 MW hydel power plant to the nation’s development, Mr. Chamling said that the people of Sikkim deserves meaningful job opportunities with justified remuneration and proper compensation for those whose houses have been damaged by the project. He further urged the NHPC officials to amicably fulfill all the demands of the affected people, especially in the compensation and employment front. “Similar yardstick for local and non-local employees” said Mr. Chamling while stressing on the inclusion of local engineers, officials and other employees in the C and D Grades. He assured full support of the State government to the future projects of NHPC. Mr. Chamling requested the power developers to look into the interests of Sikkim and Sikkimese people while he will look into all the project related constraints. Stressing on the need of effective and eco-friendly utilization of natural resources of the state he termed the inauguration of the project as an exemplary act of development done by Sikkim. “Border state can be peaceful”, he said citing examples of the various developmental projects underway in the state. In his address, Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh said that Teesta River is a like gold mine for Sikkim people and stressed that the river should not be polluted. He also said that proper compensation should be given to those 45 labourers of different contractors lost their lives in this project. He also suggested to NHPC to set up a regional centre to give technical training to local youth. source: Sikkim Express

PROJECT PROMOTER’S RESIGNATION FROM MEF COMMITTEE

PROJECT PROMOTER’S RESIGNATION FROM MEF COMMITTEE WELCOME

ENVIRONMENT MINISTER’S PROMPT ACTION SETS THE TREND:

REVIEW CRUCIAL DECISIONS OF ABRAHAM COMMITTEE

We welcome the resignation of Mr. P. Abraham from the chairmanship of the MEF Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on River Valley and Hydropower projects which was announced in a press conference by the Union Minister of State for Environment & Forests (Independent Charge), Mr. Jairam Ramesh, on June 26^th. In a letter dated June 12^thaddressed to the Environment Minister (Annexure 1) we had pointed out the ‘conflict of interest’ in Mr. Abraham chairing this crucial committee which takes decisions on dams and hydroelectric projects seeking environmental clearance. Mr. Abraham is on the board of several power companies’ whose projects come before the EAC for environmental clearance. On June 22^nd the MoEF sought afresh the bio-datas of all chairpersons and members of the various EACs, including information on ‘conflict of interest.’

We appreciate the prompt initiative of the Environment Minister in this case. We would like to reiterate that crucial decisions taken by the Abraham committee in the past two years need to be reviewed as suggested in our letter dated June 12^th. Not a single project was rejected by this committee on merit and all projects were either granted pre-construction or environmental clearances, in spite of serious concerns raised in many of them by civil society groups. Some examples of these questionable decisions include (illustrative, not a comprehensive list):

1. Illegal subversion of an April 2007 National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) order which asks for advance cumulative impact studies of multiple dams coming up in a river basin. Where river basin studies have been prescribed (e.g. Bichom and Lohit rivers in Arunachal Pradesh), these have been ‘delinked’ from the clearance of individual projects (belonging primarily to private sector companies, including in one case where Mr. Abraham is on the board of one of the promoter companies).

2. Pre-construction clearance granted to the 520 MW Teesta IV project in Sikkim, even though this is on the last free-flowing stretch of the main Teesta River in Sikkim, as established in letters to the EAC.

3. Decision that the Damanganga Pinjal River Link proposal does not require Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) studies or environment clearance, even though it involves massive dams.

4. Environmental clearance granted to the 1500 MW Tipaimukh project, even after accepting that the EIA report was shoddy and that further studies are still required. This project requires the submergence of 26,000 hectares of forest and the felling of 83 lakh trees.

5. Decision to ask for public hearings for the Polavaram project in affected areas of Chhattisgarh and Orissa without first conducting full and proper EIA studies in these areas.

6. Refusal to prescribe detailed ‘downstream impact assessment’ studies in over two dozen hydel projects in the Northeast (both private and public sector), even though the issue has been repeatedly raised by groups in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and elsewhere.

We urge the MEF to do a comprehensive review of such decisions of the Abraham committee in a transparent manner and take appropriate actions. Such a review is necessary to restore credibility into the environmental decision-making process.

Tseten Lepcha, Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), cten00@gmail.com

Tone Mickrow, All Idu Mishmi Students Union (AIMSU),mickrowx@gmail.com

Keshoba K Chatradhara, Peoples Movement for Subansiri-Brahmaputra Valley, kkchatradhara@gmail.com

Bamang Anthony, Arunachal Citizens Rights (ACR), acr2000@gmail.com

Ravindranath, River Basin Friends, riverbasinfriends@yahoo.co.in

Mite Lingi, Idu Cultural and Literary Society (ICLS), drlingi@yahoo.co.in

Gopal Krishna, Waterwatch Alliance, krishnagreen@gmail.com

Neeraj Vagholikar, Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group (09822021371)nvagho@gmail.com

Vimalbhai, Matu Jansangathan, Uttarakhand matuporg@gmail.com

Himanshu Thakkar, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (09968242798) ht.sandrp@gmail.com

__._,_.___

ACT COMMEMORATES 2 YEARS OF SATYAGRAHA ....Vows to fight on in its struggle against hydel projects in Sikkim

The indefinite hunger strikes that were a part of Satyagraha started by the Affected citizens of Teesta, Sangha of Dzongu and the Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim, to protest against the implementation of numerous destructive mega Hydro electric project in north Sikkim and Dzongu in particular completes its two years on 20th June, 2009.

It was on 20th June, 2009 when three young men affiliated to ACT did something unheard of in Sikkkim. They sat on an indefinite hunger strike to draw attention to the damage that many sanctioned hydel projects would bring to their state. With this, the hydel debate was no more just whispers in the corridors of Tashiling but rather audible in every home around Sikkim. There was both sympathy and apathy but the greatest achivement of this noble act of the young men was to draw awareness among the people of Sikkim and elsewhere on this mass excessive agenda of the government to sanction hydel projects in every breath and corner of Sikkim and the negative environemntal and social impacts it would bring in the very near future.

ACT commemorated this historic day by dedicating the moment to the following personalities whose contribution helped the movement to reach this milestone.

1.Late Comrade Smitu Kothari



ACT's ideologue late Comrade Smitu Kothari, who as the head of the Intercultural resources, New Delhi, provided the intellectual resource to start the ACT movement to fight against all destructive anti-people projects in the state and in the north East.

Smitu Kothari was one of the founders of Lokayan ("Dialogue of the People"), and Intercultural Resources, two centers in Delhi, India promoting exchange between non-party political formations and concerned scholars and other citizens from India and the rest of the world. Trained in physics, communications and sociology, he is involved in ecological, cultural and human rights issues striving to collectively forge a national and global alternative that is socially just and ecologically sane. He had been a visiting Professor at Cornell and Princeton Universities. He was President of the International Group for Grassroots Initiatives and a Contributing Editor of The Ecologist and of Development. He hasd published extensively on critiques of contemporary economic and cultural development, the relationship of nature, culture and democracy, developmental displacement, people’s governance and social movements. Smitu was always a source of inspiration and support to not just people's movements and struggles in India, but also to voices of dissent and alternatives across the globe.

Among the books he has edited are: Voices of Struggle. Social Movements in Asia (2006); Voices of Sanity, In Search of Democratic Space (2002); A Watershed in Global Governance? An Independent Assessment of the World Commission on Dams; The Value of Nature: Ecological Politics in India (2003); Out of the Nuclear Shadow (with Zia Mian, 2001); Rethinking Human Rights: Challenges for Theory and Action (1991); and, The Non-Party Political Process: Uncertain Alternatives (with H. Sethi, 1988); He was currently working on a new book, Ecological Justice: Nature, Culture and Democracy.

Smitu had also been a long time vocal supporter of the struggle of the thousands of adivasis, farmers, labourers, fishworkers, potters and all the project-affected people in the Narmada valley and articulated their concerns at various fora both within India and across continents. He was one of the striving spirits behind the Independent People's Tribunal on the World Bank Group in India held in 2007.

A truly loving person, Smitu continues to be a source of inspiration not just for people's movements and struggles in India, but also to voices of dissent and alternatives across the globe. He was a dear friend to many, a source of tireless inspiration. A leading social and environmental activist in India, and possessed the unique quality to truly bridge the local-global dimensions of our collective social justice movements.

He worked tirelessly against elite-driven development models and was a prominent critic of the policies and practices of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Smitu had also been involved with Bank Information Centre (BIC) since the beginning in 1986 and served on BIC’s Board of Directors since 2006.

ACT members had the opportunity to meet him during his visit to Gangtok with the International Honours Program comprising of students from all over the world.

Smithuji passed away on 23rd march 2009. He is survived by wife and a daughter and left behind a legacy of enormous impact on the people’s movement in free India. The indigenous Lepchas of Sikkim and the world will always remain indebted to him and will carry forth his vision.

2. Late CHUKIE TOPDEN

The ACT and all sister organization paid homage to late Chukie Topden, for her selfless service to fight the cause of the Lepchas and Affected Citizens of North Sikkim. A Social and Environmental activist, Member of SAFE (Sikkim Association for Environment), and a dear friend of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT). She never feared to speak the truth to save Sikkim from the dangers of Environmental degradation and against mega hydel projects threatening our landscape. She will always be remembered and respected for her dedication in highlighting the most pertinent environment and social problems that all Sikkimese people face in these times and in the days to come. Her effort in scrapping the Rathongchu Hydro project will always be remembered by all Sikkimese.

Her contribution in leading the Lepchas of Dzongu in their movement to protect their homeland against the threat of mega projects will always be remembered as the one of the reasons of the success of the Satyagraha.

3. Ren Ongchuck Lepcha

The ACT also thanked and dedicated this day to all their members who fasted for the cause. Special mention has to be made of Ren Ongchuck Lepcha,who fasted continually for 81 days before he was forced to withdraw on popular request due to serious health complications which could have taken his life. They thanked and expressed their appreciation for him on this historic day and dedicated the continuity of the struggle to him.

ACT Writes to Union Environment Minister

The Affected Citizens of Teesta along with major National Level Environment and Social organizations have in a letter to Shri Jairam Ramesh, Hon’ble Minister of State(independent Charge) for Environment, GOI requested that Shri P. Abhraham be removed from the post the Chairman of the Expert Appraisal Committee on river Valley and Hydro Projects. This demand has been placed due to conflict of interest arising out of the fact that Shri P Abhraham is also the Director in many Private companies including Power companies that have received various environmental clearance bypassing objections from civil society Groups.

Further, while on a visit to Sikkim to ascertain the facts on the issue of Environmental scoping of Teesta HEP stage IV, Mr P. Abraham and the committee members stayed at the NHPC complex and enjoyed special hospitality, leading to grant of scoping to the NHPC despite numerous complaints against the company and adverse impact of the mega Project on the environment.

Continuance of such person in very important constitutional post has seriously compromised the very issue of proper Governance and the policies of the Government of India being misused for personal gains.

Since, the rich Bio-Diversity and the indigenous people of Sikkim are seriously affected by the vested interest of such person. The ACT has demanded his removal and review of all the clearance issued during his chairmanship.

Tseten Lepcha,

Vice-President, ACT

PROJECT PROMOTER IS CHAIRING ENVIRONMENT CLEARANCE COMMITTEE

Press Release

PROJECT PROMOTER IS CHAIRING ENVIRONMENT CLEARANCE COMMITTEE

LETTER SENT TO ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: TEST FOR UPAS CLAIMS ON GOVERNANCE

For over two years now, Mr. P Abhraham who is on the Board of several hydropower and dam companies has been chairing the Ministry of Environment and Forests’ Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley and Hydropower projects. The committee, set up under the EIA Notification 2006 and EPA 1986, screens proposals for dams and hydropower projects for clearances at various stages. The committee also takes decisions on several very crucial policies governing the clearances for these projects. There is clear conflict of interest here between Abraham’s role as director of companies and as this most crucial regulatory position in the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Over the past two years, there has been at least six occasions when a project of the companies where Abraham is a director has come for clearance before the committee he chairs. This is a completely unacceptable situation and a number of social and environment groups have written to the New Union Environment Minister to remove Abraham from this position, before the next meeting of the committee he chairs happens (it is scheduled for June 15-16, 2009).

Among many other power and dam companies, Abraham is on the Board of Lanco Infratech, GVK Industries Ltd, JSW Energy Ltd, PTC Ltd, Nagarjun Construction and Maharashtra Power Generation Company. Some of the projects from such companies that came up before the EAC that Abraham chairs over the last two years include the 3000 MW Demwe Hydropower project (Arunachal Pradesh), the 76 MW Phata Byung HEP (Uttarakhand), the 76 MW Rambara HEP (Uttarakhand), the 170 MW Bogudiyar-Sirkari Bhyol HEP (Uttarakhand), the 200 MW Mapang Bogudiyar HEP (Uttarakhand) and the 260 MW Kuther HEP (Himachal Pradesh). Abraham has been abstaining from the meetings whenever these projects came up before the EAC, but this is clearly not sufficient.

Moreover, on June 11 Abraham was also appointed on a Ministry of Power Committee “to review slow pace of capacity addition and make recommendations to give much needed push for it†, which again is in conflict with Abraham’s regulatory role as EAC chairman.

The letter that was sent to the Union Environment Minister on June 12, 2009 suggested that besides immediate removal of Abraham from the chair of the EAC on River Valley and Hydropower projects, the Minister needs to review the decisions taken by the EAC in situations of conflict of interests, review the situation of all members of all the EAC committees and also to review the guidelines of appointment of members and chairs of these committees so that such stark misgovernance is not repeated in future and in stead truly independent members are appointed on such committees. These steps are immediately required, even as the minister reviews the larger policy and governance issues. The letter was sent well in time for the minister to postpone the meeting of June 15-16, pending other steps and was sent on behalf of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group, Affected Citizens of Teesta (Sikkim), All Idu Mishmi Students Union (Arunachal Pradesh), Peoples Movement for Subansiri-Brahmaputra Valley (Assam), Gopal Krishna, Waterwatch Alliance and has since been endorsed by the National Alliance for Peoples Movements (NAPM). The letter is copied below.

These instances in fact signifies very serious misgovernance and the steps that the new Environment Minister takes in this regard will also test UPA government’s claims about focus on good governance.

For more details please contact

Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) "cten lepcha" golden_hope@hotmail.com

All Idu Mishmi Students Union (AIMSU)

Peoples Movement for Subansiri-Brahmaputra Valley (PMSBV)

Gopal Krishna, Waterwatch Alliance, krishnagreen@gmail.com

Neeraj Vagholikar, Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group (09822021371) nvagho@gmail.com

Himanshu Thakkar, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (09968242798) ht.sandrp@gmail.com

----------------------------------------

LETTER TO UNION ENVIRONMENT MINISTER:

(FOR URGENT ATTENTION)

June 12, 2009

To

Shri Jairam Ramesh

Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests (Independent Charge),

New Delhi

Jairam54@gmail.com, mosef@nic.in

Subject: Conflict of Interest for EAC Chair for River Valley Projects

Respected Sir,

Let us take this opportunity to congratulate you for becoming the minister for this important ministry and wish you all the success in protecting the country's environment.

We are writing this rather urgent letter, since the subject requires some urgent action from the ministry.

Mr. P. Abraham is the chairman of the Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley and Hydropower projects, which plays a critical role in deciding the environmental and social viability of river valley projects and recommending whether to grant or reject clearance to such projects. But Mr. Abraham is also on the board of a number of power companies that are involved in the power sector in general and hydropower in particular, as we describe below. This is a clear conflict of interest and is unacceptable as per basic principles of governance. There have been many instances over the past two years when the projects from the companies on whose board he is have come for clearances before the EAC chaired by him.

Even though he has been in this position for over two years, the ministry has allowed such a situation of conflict of interest to continue, despite knowledge of the situation since information on his direct association with the power companies is publicly available. Mr. Abraham has been continuing to work in this conflict of interest by excusing himself whenever a project of companies where he is on board comes to the committee for clearance (as is apparent from the minutes of the meetings of the EAC uploaded on the MoEF website). But this is clearly not sufficient. The EAC also sets up policies that could turn out to be beneficial to the developers and he is taking environmental decisions related to companies which are potential competitors. His role on the board of these companies could provide them undue insights into the working of the committee and thus provide them an undue advantage during the decision-making process. He can also be significantly influential for other members of the committee, thus even in his absence, the decisions can be influenced, directly or indirectly. Thus we do not think this is an acceptable situation.

As we said above, he has been in this position since April 2007. However, the first meeting that he will chair under your minister ship will be on June 15-16, 2009, early next week. Hence we are urging you to take steps to ensure that this unacceptable situation does not continue under you.

We request you to:

a) Remove Mr. P. Abraham from the chairmanship of the EAC for RV and hydro projects. The EAC meeting scheduled on June 15-16 in the meantime can be postponed.

b) Review the situation for other members of all the committees to ensure that there are no other such instances of conflict of interest.

c) Take this opportunity to also review the criteria of members of EAC to ensure that such conflict of interest does not occur in future and instead, independent persons are on the committees.

d) Review the decisions of the committees where such conflict of interest prevailed even though such members may have abstained during such decisions.

Abraham on Lanco Infratech Board

SEE: http://markets.ft.com/ft/tearsheets/businessProfile.asp?s=5935488

P Abraham is on Board of Directors of Lanco Infratech, which is also involved in Hydro business. On 16 Jan 2008, the EAC recommended EC to Phata Byung HEP by Lanco Infrastructure. (Chair remained absent, but that is not good enough). The minutes noted for this item, “Dr. Bhattacharya chaired the meeting in the absence of the Chairman.†On 16-17 Oct 2008, the EAC considered Rambara H. E. Project (76 MW) by M/s Lanco Hydro Energy Pvt. Ltd for Adequacy of TOR. The Minutes, interestingly said just for this last listed item on agenda of that item (except the customary any other items with permission of chair), “Dr A. K. Bhattacharya chaired the session as Chairman had to leave for some urgent work .

Abraham on GVK Board (SEE: http://www.gvk.com/i/Board%20of%20Directors_revised.pdf)

P Abraham is on Board of Directors of GVK Industries Limited, their project Bogudiyar-Sirkari Bhyol HEP 170 MW and Mapang Bogudiyar HEP 200 MW, both in Uttarakhand, came up for clearance before the EAC on May 14-15, 2009.

Abraham on JSW Energy Limited Board (SEE: http://www.sebi.gov.in/dp/jswdraft.pdf)

He is on JSW Energy Board, as on Jan 2006 and also currently, as per http://jswel.net/, the website of the company. On 20-21 Feb 2008 meeting, the EAC considered the Kuther HEP in Himachal Pradesh for TOR by M/s JSW Energy Ltd. For this item no 2.6, the minutes said, “Dr. B P Das chaired the meeting in the absence of the chairman.†Abraham on other relevant boards He is Chaiman of Maharashtra Power Generation Company. He is on board of Nagarjun Construction company, involved in dam building.

Mr. P. Abraham, is also (complete list including those mentioned above):

I) Director:

a) LANCO

b) GVK Power & Infrastructure Co. Ltd.

c) Maharashtra State Power Generation Co.

d) Futura Polyster Ltd.

e) PTC Ltd. (Which is co promoter of the 3000 MW Demwe HEP, which came up before the EAC on 200208)

f) Flex Industries Ltd.

g) JSW Energy Ltd.

h) Vijay Electricals Ltd.

i) Nagarjuna Construction Co. Ltd.

j) Himalayan Green Energy Pvt. Ltd.

k) Green Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.

II) Member, Audit Committee

a) GVK Power and Infrastructure Co. Ltd.

b) JSW Energy Ltd.

c) Vijay Electricals Ltd.

III) Chairman

a) Investor Grievances Committee of PTC

Abraham on MoP committee to push Power projects Now, just on June 11, 2009, Union Power Minister set up a committee “to review slow pace of capacity addition and make recommendations to give much needed push for it†(FE 120609). The Committee Chaired by Power Minister Shinde includes P. Abraham. This we also see as clear conflict of interest with Abraham's regulatory role in EAC.

We hope you will take urgent and appropriate action. We will look forward to hearing from you.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

Himanshu Thakkar South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, 86-D, AD block, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi 110088

ht.sandrp@gmail.com, www.sandrp.in, Ph: 27484655/ 9968242798

On Behalf of:

South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP)

Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group, "Neeraj Vagholikar" nvagho@gmail.com

Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) "cten lepcha" golden_hope@hotmail.com

All Idu Mishmi Students Union (AIMSU)

Peoples Movement for Subansiri-Brahmaputra Valley (PMSBV)

Gopal Krishna, Waterwatch Alliance, krishnagreen@gmail.com

CENTRAL EMPOWERED COMMITTEE NOTICE TO ACT

CEC WANTS TO KNOW WHY ACT PETITION AGAINST PANAN SHOULD NOT BE DISMISSED

The Affected Citizens of Teesta appear to have received a setback in their petition filed with the Central empowered Committee against the Panan hydel project coming up in Dzongu.

Sources now inform that the Central Empowered Committee, where the petition had come up for hearing on 20th May, has in turn issued a show-cause notice to the Affected Citizens of Teesta, the petitioners themselves.

While the ACT has a couple of petitions filed with the CEC, this particular petition which came up hearing specifically concerns the construction and development of Panan hydel project in Dzongu and seeks its cancellation.

The issue of Panan hydro power project and the subsequent protest movement of ACT, has embittered relations between it and the state government to the point of Panan becoming an emotive issue to the protesting Lepchas and a prestige issue issue for the government.

It might be recalled that the Chief Minister had directed that 4 power projects proposed for North District, particularly in the Dzongu area, be scrapped following protests over environmental concerns raised by ACT. Panan was the sole project on which the government decided that it was imperative that it continue in the best interest of the state.

The petition with the CEC was filed by ACT in the year 2005 and seeks direction from the CEC to immediately stay the clearance granted to the project because it was in "violation of Supreme Court Orders".

However, during the hearing on 20th May, the CEC issued notice to the petitioners asking them to take down instructions why the petition should not be dismissed in terms of Supreme Court order.

Sources inform that the petition was reviewed by the members of the Central Empowered Committee which then expressed that ACT petition was against the orders of the Supreme Court"and CEC has no jurisdiction to overrule the Supreme Court."

Infact, The CEC itself was constituted under orders of the Supreme Court. Also present for the hearing were advocates of Himagiri, the Panan hydro project developers. The order of the CEC however does not clarify which Supreme Court order it was referring to.

The primary grievance of ACT against Panan, as also highlighted in their petition, was their contention that it encroached upon the Khangchendzonga National Park and that a portion of encrachment was a part of the Panan project as the developers were undertaking catchment area treatment there.

On the other hand, the State as well as the developers contended that this was not a project component and would be returned after completion of the catchment area treatment. The ACT allegation of violation of Supreme Court orders by the State government and the project developers, has now turned on itself. Other grievances voiced by ACT were influx of outsiders in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu and the resultant dilution of Lepcha culture and heritage and also environment concerns.

The CEC was constituted on 17th September 2002 through a Gazette Notification issued by the Minsitry of Environment and Forests. The CEC has been constituted as an Authority under the provision of Sub section(3) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in pursuance of the orders of the Supreme Court dated 9-52002 and 9-9-2002 in W.P. 202/95 and 171/96 for a period of five years. The CEC's broad task is to monitor and ensure the compliance of the orders of the Supreme Court concerning the subject matter of forest and wildlife and other issues arising out of the said order. The CEC comprises of 5 members representing government and NGO.

source: Sikkim Now!

AFTERMATH OF CYCLONE AILA.................

The Above Pictures are of Rangpo River

Teesta Stage V

Heavy monsoon rain has inundated the Teesta Stage V hydel project dam in Sikkim with more silt than what the National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) was prepared for, leading to suspension of power generation, officials said Thursday.

Heavy rain during the past week has also led to river Teesta breaching its bank at the dam site in Dikchu, 50 km from here, almost washing away the NHPC office located there.

Chief Engineer G.P. Maurya said: 'The remaining portion of the office is precariously perched and officials have shifted to the guest house at the top of the dam which is now being used as a temporary office.'

The office has lost most of its foundation with the crate walls washed away and the entire parking lot submerged by the river water.

Power generation at the dam was stopped at 2 a.m. May 27 due to heavy siltation jamming the machinery. The amount of silt coming down the river went up 10 times to 5,000-6,000 particles per minute from the normal levels of 500-600.

NHPC officials said it would take two-three days to clear the clogged silt and bring the machines back into operation.

The officials said that the loss incurred by the state-run NHPC would amount to nearly Rs.2 crore (Rs.20 million) per day.

All five sluice gates of the dam were opened Monday to let out the water which was attaining dangerous heights in the reservoir.

The water level at the reservoir rose to nearly 590 metres Tuesday from the normal 575 metres submerging all the three height reading pillars, Maurya said.

NHPC contractor Naresh Chettri, whose individual losses in damages and washed away machinery runs into crores of rupees, said the water flow suddenly increased from 300 umecs on Monday to 1,800 cumecs Tuesday, sweeping away the equipment he maintained at the site.

Teesta Low Dams

Besides, The swelling river waters have caused immense damage to stages III and IV of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s under-construction Teesta Low Dam Project (TLDP).

Between the two projects, the TLDP IV at Kalijhora has been hit worst by heavy rain induced by Cyclone Aila. NHPC officials said permanent constructions like powerhouse and dam and heavy machinery have been destroyed at Stage IV on the Teesta.

At Reang, where Stage III is located, it was temporary constructions that had borne the brunt of the rising river.

While the distance to Reang from here is about 25km, Kalijhora is further 15km away.

S.K. Modhak, the project manager of Hindustan Construction Company, which is executing the civil construction at Stage IV, said his area of operation alone had suffered a direct loss of Rs 20 crore and a indirect loss of Rs 35 crore after the Teesta had submerged a large portion of the site.

Modhak said the project, which was to have been commissioned by December 2010, had been pushed back by at least six months, if no other I impediment was caused to the work by rains. “The construction was designed to handle 5,000 cusec of water, but the volume of water rose to as high as 10,000 cusec in the past few days.”

The gushing waters swept away a Bailey bridge and caused extensive damage to the slopes on either bank of the river at Stage IV. “The water that has entered the dam and power house will have to be pumped out and the accumulated slush removed,” he said.

Teesta Stage VI - Lanco Power Project

An iron suspension bridge of Lanco Energy Pvt Ltd located at Tarkhola Power House site of the Teesta Stage VI power project collapsed triggered by heavy rains that continued for over 24 hours.

Talking to media persons, power project developers said the company has lost property worth Rs 1 crore and 85 lakhs approximately of the 500 MW project due to recent rains including heavy damage caused to the new RCC bridge foundation post and protective walls at the same area. Officials also cited the washing away of the bridge due to rise in the flow of Bhusuk River and Teesta River. Both the rivers when joined at Singtam rose up to 6 ft, they said. The officials added that the water level was raised around 2.5 ft above the suspension bridge and still was flowing above danger level. People living in and around Singtam also fear that the rising water may hit their houses if rains continue for a longer time. The road to Mangan via Dikchu Singtam was also closed for more than two hours this morning at Alaichi Khola following minor landslides in the stretch.

Both the bridges were being constructed by a local contractor, MP Agarwal from Namchi, South Sikkim.
The permanent steel bridge of the Lanco power project at Tarkhola was under construction when it was battered by the river Teesta yesterday and suffered damages worth Rs. 2.5 crores.
Not only the bridge suffered extensive damages, the river Teesta at its furious best swept away the machinery parts, tools and parts of the bridge. The under construction Lanco power project also suffered great damages.
Apart from the Tarkhola project bridge, the flash floods also caused extensive damages at the construction site of a permanent steel bridge at Goskhan Dara near Singtam. All the construction materials at the site were washed away, it is informed.

Source: The Telegraph, Voice of Sikkim, Sikkim Express

http://www.telegraphindia.com, http://www.voiceofsikkim.com, www.sikkimexpress.com

CAG AUDITORS STUDY SIKKIM’S HYDEL PLANS AND PROCESS

Gangtok - May 14 -

Hydel projects, 27 of which have been awarded in the past few years, are a contentious issue in Sikkim and now aspects concerning the construction and execution of hydro-electric projects have attracted the attention of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office here in the state. It is learnt that the Accountant General’s office is presently engaged in the preparation of a report on the development of hydel power projects in the state.

Sources inform that the CAG office has been in the process of preparing a comprehensive report on the subject for the past few months. This report, apart from being exhaustive, will also be a review of the policy of the state government on the development of hydel projects.

The report will largely concern the involvement and interest of private participants in the power sector in Sikkim. The decision to prepare such a comprehensive report on power projects in Sikkim was largely prompted with the acquiring of certain information by the CAG office, it is learnt. Besides this was also due to the noticeable impact it was having in the socio-politi

cal characteristic of the state particularly in the light of the protests raised by the public in North Sikkim. On the other hand, the expected economic impact that such projects may affect is also the part of the reason for such a report by CAG.

The CAG will be studying the selection process of the private players with whom memorandums of understanding have been signed by the State government for the development of power projects. In this regard, the report will study the capability of the private players for power development, as well as the level of transparency followed in awarding hydel projects to them.

The terms of agreement will also be studied clause by clause especially in whose favour the terms point towards. Besides, the report will also include a study of the objectives of the State government through hydel power development that can be achieved , economically and socially, through such hydel power development. Not to be left out will be the implications of the development of this sector along with recommendations to the State government which the latter can use for streamlining its policy as well as execution of the projects and also to help achieve its objectives.

All this will be done taking into consideration the process of development of power projects in other states, including their context and other similar parameters.

It may be recalled that the Power & Energy Department is already preparing a White Paper on the development of power projects in Sikkim, a task task that has been enthrusted to a public sector agency in Noida. This White Paper is also being prepared along similar lines with almost the same issue and is expected to to be handed over to the State government within the next few days.

source: Sikkim Now!

Ecowarrior Chokiela Topden - Obituary written by Vibha Arora and published in Down to Earth magazine

Teesta IV, last nail in the river’s coffin?

An expert committee of the Central Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) is currently on a visit to Sikkim. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on River Valley & Hydroelectric projects evaluates applications for environmental clearance of dams in the country and is here related to two hydroelectric projects in Sikkim – 520 MW Teesta IV and 66 MW Rangit II. On April 20, it conducted a field visit to the site of the proposed 520 MW Teesta IV project. On April 21, it will meet in the NHPC Conference Room in Singtam for its monthly meeting which usually takes place in New Delhi. On the Agenda is a discussion on the ‘Scoping’ of the 520 MW Teesta IV project, appraisal for environmental clearance of the 66 MW Rangit II project and a discussion on river water flow.

What exactly is ‘Scoping’ mentioned above with respect to the 520 MW Teesta IV project? Under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006, development projects and activities which require environmental clearance are categorized as Category A and B. Category A projects are evaluated for environmental clearance by the MoEF in New Delhi and Category B projects by a State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) constituted by the Central Government at the state level. As far as hydroelectric projects are concerned, projects greater than or equal to 50 MW are Category A projects. Projects which are greater than or equal to 25 MW and less than 50 MW are Category B projects. Category A projects (such as Teesta IV and Rangit II) need to go through a 3 stage process for environmental clearance – Scoping, Public Consultation and Appraisal. ‘Scoping’ stage is the first stage evaluation of the project wherein the EAC may give detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) for conduct of EIA studies for the project and a clearance for pre-construction activities such as conduct of various investigations and studies. However, if the site is felt to be inappropriate on environmental and social grounds, the MoEF based on recommendations of the EAC can reject the project at this stage itself. The EAC may choose to conduct a site visit in order to give its recommendations, which is what the EAC on River Valley & Hydroelectric projects has done for the 520 MW Teesta IV project on April 20th. They will now meet today to discuss the future of the Teesta IV project.

The ongoing marathon protests of the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) have highlighted the many socio-cultural and environmental concerns associated with the development of a juggernaut of mega dams in the state in general and Dzongu in particular. With Sikkim’s ambitious plans to harness the hydroelectric potential of the Teesta river basin through a mega plumbing exercise involving a maze of dams and tunnels criss-crossing the entire state’s landscape (see map), the question which comes to ones mind is: Will the Teesta be allowed to flow free in any stretch of the river at all? For a while let’s keep aside the many tributaries and focus on the main stem of the Teesta river, formed after the Lachung Chu and Lachen Chu join near Chungthang. At least four consecutive mega hydroelectric projects are planned on the main Teesta in Sikkim in the stretch from Chungthang to where the river enters North Bengal. These are the 1200 MW Teesta III, 520 MW Teesta IV, 510 MW Teesta V and 500 MW Teesta VI. All these so called 'run-of-the-river' hydroelectric projects involve the construction of large dams which divert the river waters through long tunnels, before the water is dropped back into the river at a downstream location after passing through a powerhouse. The long tunnels ensure that long stretches of the river are bypassed for each project, for example 23 km. of the river is bypassed for the already commissioned Teesta V project. In the winter months 85-90% of the river flow will be diverted through the tunnels. Throughout the year the river will be in full flow only in very brief stretches between two consecutive hydropower projects. The MoEF based on the recommendations of the EAC has already granted environmental clearance to three out of the four projects referred to above in the past – 1200 MW Teesta III, 510 MW Teesta V and 500 MW Teesta VI. Teesta III & VI are under construction while Teesta V is already commissioned.


The three under construction or commissioned projects (Teesta III, Teesta V, and Teesta VI) will directly impact at least 71 km. of the main Teesta river. This includes 63 km. due to bypassed stretches of the river in which the flow will be minimal and at least 7.6 km being the cumulative length of the reservoirs in the main Teesta river (not including the reservoir length along some of the tributaries). If the Teesta IV project is allowed to come up, an additional 12.12 km (7.75 km bypassed stretch of the river and 4.37 km being length of the reservoir), the last free stretch of the main Teesta river in the upper reaches, will be destroyed. Totally around 83 km of the river will be directly (and seriously) impacted in Sikkim. The only stretch of the river which will be able to flow free is downstream of the Teesta VI project, a major portion of which flows along the Sikkim – West Bengal border. It is absolutely important that the last remaining stretch of the main Teesta river in its upper reaches in Sikkim (between the Teesta III and Teesta V projects) is allowed to flow unfettered to respect both the ecological and cultural heritage of a river which is closely associated with the identity of Sikkim. The only way this can happen is if the Teesta IV project is scrapped. Counter arguments are being made that a little over 20% of the lean season flow will be there in the bypassed stretch of the Teesta IV project (between dam and powerhouse) due to releases from the dam and incremental additions by other tributaries. But when the ecological integrity of the main Teesta river has already been compromised to such a large extent in Sikkim by the three existing mega projects, we need to allow full (100%) flow at least in this stretch of the river between Teesta III and Teesta V.

It is to be seen if the EAC will allow the last remaining stretch of the main Teesta river in Sikkim between the Teesta III and Teesta V project to flow free. It does not require the conduct of further impact assessment studies to realise that the coming of the Teesta IV project will be the final nail in the coffin of the main Teesta river in Sikkim, since the other three mega projects mentioned above are already commissioned or under development. The Teesta IV project should therefore be scrapped at the ‘Scoping’ stage itself because of the above mentioned reasons. It is certainly not unreasonable for citizens of the state and rest of the country to expect that at least some stretches of the main Teesta river in Sikkim are allowed to flow free.

There are many diverse issues associated with the pending decision on Teesta IV, but for the sake of this piece, I have focused on one of the key issues: Can the Teesta be allowed to flow free in at least the stretch of the river between Teesta III & V? ACT has led a remarkable struggle to raise these issues until now. But its time for other citizens of the state to answer a question about a river so closely associated with the identity of Sikkim: Are we going to simply watch as the last nail is hammered into the river’s coffin?


source: Sikkim Express

DAM BURST AT CHUJACHEN HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER PROJECT IN EAST SIKKIM

Flashflood inside tunnel and partial dam burst at Gati Infrastructure’s 99 MW Chujachen hydro project claims ten labourers

Ten labourers working inside a tunnel of the 99 MW Chuchajen hydro electric power project being developed by Gati Infrastructure were killed when water overflowing from the Rongli river flooded the tunnel yesterday night here at Chuchajen in East Sikkim.

A coffer concrete gravity dam being constructed was also partly swept away by the surge on the Rangpo/Rongli river a tributary of the river Teesta being developed by Gati Infrastructure Limited at Lamaten in the vicinity of Chujachen village under Rongli sub division in east Sikkim last night. The coffer dam is coming up at Lamaten, 10 kilometres from Chujachen. The labourers were working on the night shift it has been informed.

According to official reports heavy rains flooded the catchment area with the force of the water flooding into the 120 metre long Adit III tunnel of the power project due to a flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall in the catchment area Tsomgo Lake, the source of Rangpo river, B. K Khabrani, the general manager of the Gati power project said.

Officials inform ten labourers were washed away in the flash flood which occurred at around 9:30 pm yesterday night, the water levels rose alarmingly high over the temporary coffer dam built near the Adit 3 tunnel. The water swelled above the 19 m coffer dam and could not be rapidly discharged by the adjoining diversion tunnel.

Finding no outlet, the water then recoiled back and surged into the Adit 3 tunnel where 18 labourers were engaged in night shit to drill the tunnel. Out of them, 8 were inside the tunnel while ten were outside the tunnel, police officials overseeing the restoration works at the damaged spot informed sources.

The labourers outside the tunnel saw the danger and fled barring two who went inside to alert the 8 others working inside the 1.1 km tunnel. However, none returned back and there is zero possibility that none of the 10 labourers may have survived, admitted the police and the project officials. Whiule the names of the labourers are yet to be revealed it has been learnt that most of them belonged to West Bengal.

Presently the works are on to pump out the water from the Adit 3 tunnel to recover and fish out the bodies. The flash flood also swept away the coffer tunnel along with other
machines and vehicles in the site. 8 persons have died in separate incidents in the project site last year.

This has taken back our project schedule by another 3 months, Khabrani said. he said the damages caused by the flash flood is being assessed and could run into several crores.
“However, at the moment our main focus is to find those inside the tunnel”, he added.
Sub divisional police officer of Rongli, R. K Sundas said that a case has been registered against the project developers. Investigations will be carried out to find out whether any negligence is there on the part of the project developers, he said.

The Chujachen project a run of the river hydroelectric power project is about 60 Kms from Gangtok and has two interconnected reservoirs with an installed capacity of 99MW.
The Rangpo river is a major tributary of the Teesta river. The project has two intakes each with a storage reservoir and headrace tunnel each joining together to a common headrace tunnel, an underground surge shaft, a surface penstock and open air powerhouse with two units and an outdoor switchyard.

The construction of the coffer dam and the tunnels were entrusted to Coastal Energy a construction company by GATI it has been learnt Chief minister Pawan Chamling had laid the foundation Stone for the Chujachen HEPP in February 2007, and speedy implementation of the project was being undertaken by GATI Infrastructure a unit of the
cargo express company and was expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Gati Infrastructure had entered into an agreement with the Sikkim Power Development Corporation (SPDC) Limited, a Government of Sikkim undertaking and Goverment of Sikkim for development and implementation of three hydro projects out of which one of the one is the Chujachen project on a Build, Operate, Own and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement at a cost of Rs. 625 crores. Sikkim was to get 12 per cent free power from the project and was to be transferred back to the state government after 35 years. The project would sell its power at Rs 2.20 a unit via a 132kvA transmission line to be built by the state.

Source: The Telegraph

(The tunnel where the unfortunate incident took place)

(Rescue operation underway)

CONDOLENCE MESSAGE

AFFECTED CITIZENS OF TEESTA

BL house,Gangtok,Sikkim.

Dated: 10th April 2009

PRESS RELEASE

A condolence meeting was held at BL house on the 9^th of April to mourn the sad and untimely demise of Ms Chukie Topden, Shri Tashi Tobden, Shri T W Barfungpa, Mrs Cherryla Namgyal and Prakash Gurung. Prayers were offered for the departed souls by renowned Lepcha Bongthing Ren ST Simick from Kalimpong followed by two minutes of silence.

The meeting was attended By Shri Langsoong Tamsaang, President of All India Indigenous Lepcha Tribe Association (apex body of all Lepcha association in the Darjeeling hills ,Bhutan and Nepal) and senior representatives of the Association, Shri Athup Lepcha, President and executive members of ACT, Gyatso Lepcha, President CLOS, and Members of Sangha of Dzongu. The meeting had put on record that:

“The Tragic accident has snatched away from us the Pillars of Sikkimese society, whose selfless contribution toward the welfare of the down trodden and marginalized sections of Society had contributed tremendously to help them live a life of Dignity and security in their own Homeland. The Lepchas of the world will always remain grateful to Ms Chukie Tobden for her love and selfless support to the aborigines of the sub Himalayan region in their historic struggle against the threat of complete marginalization. Chukiela gave hope and direction to the young Lepchas of Dzongu who had ventured out from their traditional villages to the capital of Sikkim and India to seek justice and protect the cradle of their Civilization. Her Firebrand leadership and images of extreme hardship that she endured will be remembered for all times to come.”

Shri Tashi Tobden personified a Modern intellectual yet deeply Traditional person . His contribution in maintaining the core values of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people can never be replicated. Shri TW Barfungpa, was the pride of Sikkim, the only person who could have been the Union Cabinet Secretary. His tenure in remote North Sikkim as DDO and DC is Legendary and was one of the finest young officers, Due to which the People in North still call him DC Yapla even after many years he had left the region.

Cherryla Namgyal as an officer in the Social Welfare Advisory Board had in her own way helped numerous social organization to make life better for the deprived sections so the society. She was always ready to help and motivate social workers in the state to deliver to the masses the National vision of development and social justice.

The Affected Citizens of Teesta and the Lepchas pray to almighty to give strength to the bereaved families to bear with the irreparable loss and thank them for the continued support they had rendered to the departed souls in their service to Sikkim and humanity”

Tseten Lepcha

Vice-President

ACT

ACT reiterates its ‘apolitical’ stand We will not participate in any political activity: ACT

Stating that its 642 days odd struggle against the ‘destructive’ mega hdyel power projects in North Sikkim has now become a ‘symbol against the might of the political, bureaucratic and corporate power’, Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) today reiterated its stand as an apolitical organization.

“The success of the movement has been attributed to the sincere dedication of the youths, non-political stand of the organization and overwhelming love and support from all sections of the Sikkimese society. Under the circumstance, ACT has resolved that it will continue with the chosen path and never succumb to the lure of power or short term gain”, said ACT chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha in a press meet today here at BL House.

“ACT will not participate in any political activity and the members of the executive committee will not contest the election or directly participate in any political activity”, said Mr. Lepcha.

However, ACT has allowed its members to exercise their democratic right by choosing any political party or organization.

Meanwhile, ACT has slammed the State land revenue department for ‘not having any Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) policies’ for Sikkim and for hydro-electric projects particularly for the Teesta Stage III project.

“The department has no clue and there are no State and District level R&R committees. In a RTI reply, the department as stated that they do no even know about the existence of the NGO Bhavishya Bharat which has been entrusted with relief and rehabilitation works for Teesta Stage III, after huge sum of money has been transferred to it”, said the ACT chief coordinator. He added that Teesta Urja had showered flower petals over Singhik secondary school in North Sikkim some time back during the annual function.

“This extravaganza has been included in the local area developmental schemes. Can such activities be considered as a developmental activity in the State where we have many families who have difficult time earning two square meals a day?”, questioned Mr. Lepcha. He demanded that the Bhavishya Bharat NGO should be stopped from carrying R&R works and reputed local or national NGOs should be selected to undertake the activities.

The ACT chief coordinator also alleged that the project level monitoring committee is ‘filled with people who are supporters of the power project committee’. No independent persons having knowledge about the project and R&R are in the committee, under such situation how can proper monitoring be done? he questioned.

Mr. Lepcha further claimed that the ‘deliberate non fulfillment of equity share (26 percent) by the State government’ has more or less rendered the 1200 MW Teesta Urja power project as a ‘private project’ and cease to be a joint venture with no control by the State government. If such happens then it will result in huge losses for the State of Sikkim and also means that the people will lose all rights over the project which is being built by exploiting the vast natural resources of the State, he said.

source:Sikkim Express

BAIL GRANTED TO JAILED ACT ACTIVISTS............

40 members of AFFECTED CITIZENS OF TEESTA,CONCERNED LEPCHAS OF SIKKIM AND SANGA OF DZONGU, arrested on 7th Feb 2009 were granted bail by the Hon’ble District.& Sessions Judge(E/N) on the 9th of March 2009 .

The bail petition was filed by Ld counsels Ms Karma Yangchen, Ms Neeru Sharma and Ms Bandana Pradhan on the 28th of Feb2009 and the hearing was taken up on the 7th of March and the order passed on the 9th of March. The bail petition was taken up Sr Advocate Shri K. T Bhutia.

All 40 arrested which included 7 ladies and some students were then released from the State Jail in the evening. A rousing reception was held at the BL House to welcome all of them back.

The Bail was granted with many conditions which include Rs 50,000 /- bond and a reliable surety each, that the accused shall not visit any dam site in Dzongu region that the accused will not participate in unlawful assembly etc.

The ACT and all members welcome the judgment of the Hon’ble District and Sessions court and express complete faith in the Judiciary.

Meanwhile, 6 more innocent student/youths from Dzongu have been detained and questioned for another incident where more properties of the power developers were destroyed. Since, most of the accused are students and under aged they have not been kept overnight but made to report almost everyday on their own expenses. Further indiscriminate questioning of student has been reported.

ACT ha condemned the arbitrarily arrest/detention of the Lepchas.

ACT Activists still in Rongyek Jail, ACT files bail petiton in Court, support gathers for ACT

Three underage students had been arrested by North district police along with 40 other members of ACT in the recent incident of protesting at Rongyong dam site of the proposed 280 MW Panan hydel power project near Lingzya. The underage members had been forwarded to Juvenile Home while other members have been sent to judicial custody at Rongyek Jail.

Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) later submitted bail applications for the three of its underage members in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate here at Gangtok which was granted with certain conditions.

Meanwhile, ACT has also finally decided to seek bail for its 40 arrested members under judicial custody presently lodged in Rongyek Jail. Senior advocate of the Sikkim High Court, Shri KT Bhutia will appeal on behalf of Act. The Bail application was filed in the court of the Hon’ble Session Judge on 28th feb 2009 and is scheduled for hearing on the 7th of March 2009.

Dawa Lepcha, Tenzing Lepcha who sat on 2 indefinte hunger strikes in the past for 63 days earlier and 96 days are also part of the 40 members of ACT currently under judicial custody.

ACT also said that a meeting of the Delhi solidarity group for the ACT and the Central Planning commission was held on the 27th of Feb2009,at Yojana Bhavan, New Delhi. The Planning commission was represented by Dr Kirit S.Parikh, Ms Shayeeda Hameed, Mr Surya P Seti and Mr SM Brohmo Choudary(director SP-NE). In the meeting it was conveyed to the Group that the Planning commission has taken serious note of the concerns of environmental degradation due to Hydel Projects in North Sikkim with the State Government during the annual plan meeting. The Secretary Planning commission had stressed for the need of a legally sound arrangement. An Interministrial Group involving planning commission, Law, Power and Environment and Forest is to be formed to look in to the issues and suggest how best the state should go about ahead in the matter.

The Planning commission is in the process of forming the interministrial group and writing to various related department particularly the Central Electricity Authority and the MOEF. The ACT and the solidarity group will call on the Planning commission very soon to pursue the above matter.

ACT earlier also took up the issue of ‘arbitrary arrests’ of its members with UNO under UN declaration on the rights of indigenous people. The body has also approached national and international level support groups to file direct complaints.
“Further, Human Right Group has been requested to help the organization to fight against the continuous subjugation of the Indigenous Tribes in Sikkim”, stated ACT in a press release.

ACT also stood by its stand that the Panan power project developers were engaging in illegal activities at Dzongu. It said that Sikkim Power Development Corporation (SPDC) had initiated the land acquisition in Dzongu on behalf of Himagiri company for the Panan power project as per a government notification dated 1-6-2007.

“However, according to another notification dated 24-6-2008, the above notification had lapsed on 1-6-2008 and as such the proper process of land acquisition has not been completed by the District Collector and so the physical occupation of landed property in Dzongu by Himagri Hydro Energy Pvt ltd is violating the law under section 447 of IPC and also violating the provisions of the notification No-3069 dated 24-3-1958 and 665/PS dated 27-9-1954”, said ACT.

“However, after the first meeting, the State government never bothered to call for talks nor reported to the organization about the decision of the Govt on the discussion held in that meeting. ACT therefore believes that the government of Sikkim is not interested in the welfare of people nor upholds the democratic values of the country. This is neglecting the voices of the indigenous aborigines of the State, ” says ACT

ACT also filed an FIR in Mangan police station in this regard to take action against the general manager of the Himagiri Hydro Energy Ltd and other companies working in Dzongu ‘for the violation of the above old laws’.

Meanwhile, Sikkim National Peoples Party headed by Biraj Adhikari and Diley Namgyal Kazi and three members of All Sikkim Educated Self Employed and Unemployed Association (ASESEUA) TB Rai, Navin Kiran and Hem Kumar Pradhan
sat on a 12 hour hunger strike here at BL House premises to highlight its demands and to express its support to ACT who has already crossed 600 days of relay hunger strike against the proposed mega power projects in Dzongu and for ‘protection of Article 371 F’ and ‘immediate release of arrested ACT activists’.

Justifying the direct action of ACT and comparing it to the justification given by Mr. B. S Das, the then Administrator of Sikkim in 1973, BS Das had shielded the pro-democracy forces from police action who did not take police action against the large scale looting of police stations in 1973 by pro-democracy forces with the following words – ‘Even the law makes a distinction between legitimate illegal action and illegitimate illegal action where political issues are involved. You should not go by the book when moral issues are involved as the book has no answer to them’. , said Mr. Adikhari.

Now after 36 years since Mr. Das had first used the ‘legitimate illegal action’ rationalization, the SNPP president said that the actions taken by ACT cannot be considered illegal as there is a precedent in Sikkim of such incidents which were justified as political issues and considered legal.

“Accordingly, the party feels that the actions of ACT was a ‘legitimate illegal action’ and demands immediate and unconditional release of the arrested youths because if the logic could be justified for the sake of association of Union of India, then the same logic should be applied to the defenders of the provisions of the same association and the high ideals and foresight of our elders, as enshrined in the Constitution of India”, said Mr. Adikhari in a press meet today.

He also added that “ The people have to realize that Dzongu is the most protected area in Sikkim and if such stringent provisions are violated with such impunity then there is no stopping these exploitative forces in future and if Dzongu looses, then Sikkim would have lost its soul.”

Also speaking to reporters, the party treasurer Diley Namgyal Kazi asserted that nothing beneficial will come for Sikkim and Sikkimese people from the slew of ‘unplanned mega power projects’ in the State. Expressing his objections to the manner in which the mega power projects are being implemented in Sikkim, Mr. Kazi said the MoUs signed between the Sikkim government and power developers ‘is not benefiting’ the Sikkimese people. “We are against the mega power projects. What are the Sikkimese people getting from these projects? I remember the announcement that Sikkim will be lighted like a Christmas tree when Legship power project was done. What happened to this?”, said Mr. Kazi. The projects, especially those planned for Dzongu, have violated Revenue Order No. 1 and Article 371 F, he added.

Speaking to media, All Sikkim Educated Self Employed and Unemployed Association (ASESEUA) said that Article 371 F must be protected at any costs. They also said that there should an immediate release of the jailed ACT activists.

“The unlimited power projects coming to Sikkim will make Sikkim people landless. Hydel power is good but the projects should be of limited number. The present unlimited project companies will not serve any good to Sikkim as there is no such capacity in the rivers of Sikkim”, said Mr. Rai.

They further said that the power projects in Dzongu, North Sikkim will encourage influx and put the Lepchas of Dzongu under threat. The government says employment will be generated with this power projects but has there been such employment in the NHPC Teesta Stage V project, said Mr. Rai. Similar future awaits the Lepchas of Dzongu, he added. They also made it clear that ASESEUA members do not belong to any political party. We are opposing the bad polices of the State government but we don’t belong to any political party, he said.

Meanwhile ACT also demanded the North district administration to take actions against the project developer Himagiri Hydro Energy Pvt. Ltd on ‘Article 371 K violation’ grounds.

In a memorandum submitted to DC (North) on February 16, ACT president Athup Lepcha has demanded the administration to impound the non-indigenous permits issued to the company agent Shekhar Gupta and others to enter Dzongu in order to maintain law and order situation in Dzongu.

Reminding the DC about the provisions of notifications no. 3069/O.S dated 24.3.1958 and 665/P.S. dated 27.9.1954 read with Articles 371 F (k) and 19 (5) of the Constitution of India, the ACT has also demanded the ‘no non-indigenous permits to enter Dzongu be issued to the agents/ workers/ labourers of the company unless and until M/s Himagiri Hydro Energy Pvt. Ltd owns or possesses private lands acquired or purchased from the indigenous people of Dzongu’.

Without owning or possessing lands in Dzongu the companies or their agents cannot carry on any business or occupation in Dzongu without non-indigenous permit obtained from the authorities, ACT said.

Mr. Gupta and all other non indigenous persons engaged by him to work in Lingzya, Dzongu must be ordered to remove themselves out of Dzongu unless and until the private land are acquired according to the Land Acquisition Act 1894 and leased out to M/s Himagiri Hydro Energy Pvt. Ltd, ACT further demanded.

ACT reminded the DC (North) that it was Mr. Gupta who in his FIR against ACT members had mentioned that the State government has allotted the Panan project to Himagiri company. But he should know the fact that State government has not allotted any land to his company so far and no private lands have been acquired by his company so far, ACT said.

“The ACT does not want the peace, social harmony and security of Dzongu to be disturbed by the illegal entry and presence of non indigenous people in the region”, Mr. Lepcha said. He further informed that ACT has appealed against environmental clearance given to Himagiri company by Ministry of Environment and Forests and the appeal is still pending with the Central Empowered Committee in New Delhi.
Regarding the FIR of Mr. Gupta over the explosives dumped into the river by ACT members, the body president said that the complainant knew very well that the ACT members have been agitating and protesting against Himagiri company.

“In such situation and circumstances he should not be handling such dangerous materials negligently or carelessly. He himself must take the responsibility”, said Mr. Lepcha. The ACT does not want any company to setup stocks or stores of explosives and detonators in Dzongu, he added.

The ACT president also demanded the DC (North) to direct Mr. Gupta to ‘produce the full account of the explosives and detonators received from his suppliers, the explosives and detonators that have been used at the worksite and the remainder in the stores and thrown into the river, otherwise the ACT has the right to suspect that Mr. Gupta and the companies mentioned in the FIR must be having links with the terrorist or the terrorist organizations in the country or abroad’.

“The environment clearance has a special and specific prohibitive condition that the labour and staff colonies should not be set up within the Dzongu region by M/s Himagiri Hydro Energy Pvt. Ltd. No private lands should be acquired for the colonies by the state government within the Dzongu region”, said ACT president.

Meanwhile at least nine organisations ACT had written to the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Home Minister of India requesting them to release all 40 Lepcha activists from Sikkim jail. Members of Lepcha Association, New Delhi, All India Indigenous Lepcha Tribe Association, South Asia Network on Dam, Rivers & People, National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers, Intercultural Resources, Kalpavriksh, Focus on the Global South and Hazards Centre have also requested the leaders at the Centre to scrap all the remaining projects in Dzongu.

The signatories also requested the leaders to positively respond to the peaceful struggle of the Lepcha community in Sikkim in right earnest. A copy of the letter was also sent to Governor of Sikkim, Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary.
ACT chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha also mentioned that the meeting held the office of the intercultural resources in New Delhi sometime back discussed to take up the tribe’s fight at an international forum like the United Nations Organisations.
The meeting attended by about 15 environmentalist and environment activists to express solidarity with the movement of ACT and to protest the continuous detention of its members by the Government of Sikkim also decided to send a joint petition to the UNO.


Besides, the meeting decided to drum up a follow up meeting with the Planning Commission of India as well as to meet MOEF officials on the issue of changes brought about in illegally in the scoping of Teesta IV and Panam HE projects. It was also decided to take up an immediate study on the viability of Panam HEP, Teesta III and Teesta IV projects based on the minimum flow required to generate power.

(While many in Sikkim had ideas preferring the other side of Teesta alongside National highway 31 A for an alternative highway linking Sikkim, the government thinks its better to dry up the already dried up Teesta and build a dam.

The above pictures are a series of pictures shot along National Highway 31 A beyond Rangpo linking Sikkim to the rest of the country. While the State government keeps complaining to the Central Govt about frequent strikes by political forces on the other side and obstructing normal life, a power project Teesta Vl is steadily being built exactly showing the bankruptcy of ideas, solutions and planning among policy makers on the question of infrastructural projects in Sikkim. Infrastructure here means infrastucture for the rest of the country first and then us!!

LANCO Energy Pvt Ltd (LEPL) has secured the 500 MW Teesta VI Hydropower Project for development across the Teesta River in Sikkim on a Build, Own,Operate, Transfer basis in the joint sector for a period of 35 years. The project is expected to generate 2441 million units per annum to be sold to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) through a 25 year Power Purchase Agreement. Several statutory clearances required from the State and Central Agencies have been obtained and civil construction work has begun.)

ACT members sent to 11 days of judicial custody ‘Harassment to the indigenous aborigines should stop’

ACT members sent to 11 days of judicial custody
‘Harassment to the indigenous aborigines should stop’


GANGTOK, February 10: Forty one members of Affected Citizens were sent to judicial custody at Rongyek Jail today by Chief Judicial Magistrate (East and North) for a period of 11 days. Those sent to judicial custody includes ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha, member Tenzing Lepcha, Sangha of Dzongu president Ligdem Lepcha and Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim president Gyatso Lepcha.

The ACT members had been produced before the CJM today here in Gangtok after their three day police remand at Mangan police station ended today. They have been arrested on charges of unlawful assembly, rioting and theft of explosives at the dam site of the controversial 280 MW Panan power project at Lingzya, Upper Dzongu, North Sikkim on February 7.

The arrested ACT members did not file any bail applications, it is learnt and rather chose to go to jail. It is also informed that the ACT members may restore to hunger strike at the jail itself to highlight their demand for the scrapping of the mega power projects proposed in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu.

Three other arrested ACT members, Sonam Lepcha, Ligden Lepcha and Tshering Lepcha have been sent to juvenile home in Gangtok as they were under 18 years of age.
Other ACT leaders like Tseten Lepcha and Sherap Lepcha were present at the District Court (East and North) today here to express their solidarity with their arrested members.

Meanwhile, ACT had condemned the continuous detention of innocent Primitive Lepchas of Dzongu by the State government.

“Even after four days of arrest the administration sought for judicial remand and had all the activists sent to jail. The tender aged student has not been spared due to which one girl and two boys have been sent to the Juvenile home”, said ACT in a press statement issued by its chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha.

“After examining the First Information Report (FIR) of the Himgiri pvt ltd, wherein it was alleged that large quantity of explosives were thrown in the river or stolen, ACT condemns the continuous patronage by the State administration to the illegal activities of the power developers and demands an immediate investigation to verify how such large quantity of explosives was kept unguarded in a remote area”, said ACT.
The body reiterated that ‘the harassment to the indigenous aborigines of the State fighting for their democratic rights should stopped and all those arrested be released immediately without any conditions’. It further demanded that all the mega hydro electric power projects in Dzongu be ‘scrapped as per the wishes of the people’.

source:Sikkim Express

ACT Supporters runs amok at panan dam site on its 600th relay hunger strike day, arrested members threaten indefinite hunger strike in police lockup

( Dzongu on boil, - ACT members run amok in Panan Dam site)

ACT runs amok at Panan dam site on its 600th relay hunger strike day


Gangtok, February 7: Frustrated local youths from Dzongu under the banner of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) demolished a temporary shed and other assets of Panan hydel power project employees today at Rongyong in Dzongu, North Sikkim as the relay hunger strike of the anti-hydel project body entered its 600th day.
Other project related items were also vandalized.

Around 50 youths including several ladies waving ACT flags and ‘anti-hydel’ banners had taken out a rally in the Dzongu area on the 600th day of its ongoing relay hunger strike here at BL house.

The ACT rally reached Rongyong dam site of the proposed 280 MW Panan hydel power project near Lingzya when some of its members tore apart the provisional shelter of the project labourers. The labourers were also told to leave the site as they had ‘illegally’ stayed back, it is informed.

Today’s incident marks the growing unrest and frustrations among the ACT youths over the inaction from the government side over their agitation against the controversial Panan project.

source :sikkim express

Forty one ACT members in police custody

Himagiri files damages worth Rs. 50 lakhs, ACT counters developers engaging in illegal activities

MANGAN, February 8: Forty one members of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) from Dzongu have been arrested by North Sikkim police on charges of arson and rioting at the project damsite of the controversial Panan hydel power project.

The arrests were made on the complaint of Himagiri hydroengery private limited, project developers of the 280 MW Panan hydel project. There are 8 ladies among the arrested lot.

The district administration informed that the arrests were made on the complaint since the accused persons vandalized the project site, destroyed machinery and also tried to set fire, destroy the magazine stores containing explosives and stole explosives from the site after criminal trespass. The incident took place at the project dam site at Lingzya in Upper Dzongu yesterday on the occasion of the 600th day of the relay hunger strike by ACT going at BL house in Gangtok.

According to the project developers, more than 50 lakhs worth equipments have been destroyed by ACT supporters. The project developers are also claiming the missing of some explosive items – 298 boxes of electronic detonators, 88.75 kgs of gelatin and 1000 m of cordex wire from the spot.

Following the complaint, a team led by Mangan police station PI Rajesh Tamang arrested 43 ACT members. Two were released later as they were minors.

The arrested includes ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha, Tenzing Lepcha, Sangha of Dzongu president Ligden Lama and Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim president Gyatso Lepcha.
The ACT members have been charged under 6 different sections 143 of the IPC for being members of unlawful assembly and section 147 for rioting, 149 for offence committed by unlawful assembly, 436 for arson and fire mischief, 379 for theft of explosives and 447 criminal trespasses.

Police said that ACT had no permission to stage the rally and a huge ACT group had gathered at Lingdong, Upper Dzongu and approached Lingzya where the incident occurred as they entered the dam site and engaged in unlawful activity.

The arrested persons were produced before the court of the district magistrate North and they were remanded to three days police custody for investigations. ‘Investigations are still on’, police said.

On the other hand, ACT members accused the project developers of engaging in illegal works after the land acquisition terms have elapsed. The Panan area is an isolated area and to store explosives in these areas are strictly prohibited, they said.
Meanwhile, ACT in a press statement has condemned the ‘arbitrary arrests of innocent Lepchas from Dzongu’ and accused the police of restoring to third degree interrogation methods.

In the press statement released by ACT chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha, the body has demanded ‘immediate and unconditional release’ of its members.
ACT also demanded an investigation into the links between the promoters of Panan hydel power project, their primary promoters the Nagarjuna Group and the Satyam (Maytas) scam. We have learnt of a related connection and that Satyam and Maytas are part of the funding agencies, ACT maintained.

ACT also reiterated its demand for scrapping of all mega hydel power projects in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu.

Meanwhile, Jana Yuva Shakti Sikkim (JYSS) party president Lalit Sharma met the ACT members at the police station here.

Later speaking to media, Mr. Sharma supported ACT and endorsed the body. Whatever they have done yesterday it were the right steps taken for the safeguard of Dzongu, an area protected under Article 371 F. This is due to careless attitude of the State government otherwise this situation would have not come, he said.


Arrested ACT members threaten hunger strike inside lock up




( Meal time for the arrested 41 at Mangan Thana - courtesy Sikkim Now!)

GANGTOK, February 9: Maintaining their tempo against the proposed mega power projects in Dzongu, the arrested members of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) who are presently arrested at Mangan police station have threatened to state a hunger strike inside the lock up.

The hunger strike has been threatened by ACT members as a part of their ongoing protests, their ‘arbitrary arrests’ and use of ‘third degree measures’ by Mangan police during interrogations and investigations.

ACT is not new to hunger strikes as many of them inside the lock up had participated in the relay hunger strike which reached its 602nd day today at BL House in Gangtok.
ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha and member Tenzing Lepcha have already sat on two indefinite hunger strikes in two phases since the protest movement began at Gangtok from BL House. In the first phase, the duo had sat on an indefinite hunger strike for 63 days while it was 95 straight days in the second phase.

And this time, it could be worse.

ACT sources from Mangan informed SIKKIM EXPRESS that the arrested members have desired to stage a hunger strike inside the lock up not just for their arbitrary arrests and alleged third degree measures but also to maintain their ongoing protests.

However, the arrested members of ACT have been advised to keep it on hold at the moment by the senior members.

But, the arrested members could begin the strike if there were more extension of their police remand which ends tomorrow or if they are send to the judicial custody at the State Jail at Rongyek in Gangtok.

“It depends but the hunger strike will definitely take place if the arrested ACT members are sent to jail. The hunger strike will take place inside the jail premises”, said one senior ACT member.

It may be recalled that DM (North) TN Kazi had remanded the 41 arrested members of ACT to 3 day police remand.

Meanwhile, ACT has also not decided to apply for any bail application for the arrested members. The ‘obvious’ reasons have not been revealed.

ACT’s legal counsel Hem Lal Bhandari confirmed that no bail applications have been filed so far.

ACT further claimed that some of its arrested members were subjected to third degree measures during interrogations and a petition will be filed before the Human Rights Commission.

The Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) president Dr AD Subba had also today accused the police of adopting ‘third degree’ measures against some of the arrested ACT members.

However, the North Sikkim police has categorically stated to media that no third degree measures were adopted and termed the allegations as ‘baseless’. The allegations of third degree measures have been dismissed by the police.

source: Sikkim Express

The protest and campaign by ACT against hydel projects in Dzongu and Sikkim continues.

The Prime Minister's special envoy on climate change Mr. Shayam Saran, on his recent visit to Sikkim, agreed that construction of hydel projects in the fragile Himalayan region could be one of the factor behind the melting glaciers and rise in the normal temperature in those regions.

(Source-The Telegraph)

Campaign continues

The village campaign against the mega dams in Dzongu and North Sikkim continued with another meeting being organized in Dzongu. More such meetings will continue.

Mountains of Concrete - Dam Building in the Himalayas

Mountains of Concrete: Dam Building in the Himalayas Report Launch this Week in Delhi, India.


http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=KyFkUVTJFgs&eurl=http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/node/3608
(check out the You tube Video released by international rivers network)
(if buffering takes place, let it run its course and play again)

There will always be abundant snow and glaciers on the highest mountains of the world, the Himalayas. This snow will always feed the Indus and Ganges rivers and forever supply water to millions of people in South Asia and China.

These statements may no longer be true. Our warming climate is changing the Himalayas faster than any other region of the world. The mountains’ mighty glaciers, the source of most large Asian rivers, are melting.

Against these dramatic changes, the governments of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan are planning to transform the Himalayan rivers into the powerhouse of South Asia. They want to build hundreds of mega-dams to generate electricity from the wild waters of the Himalayas.

The dams’ reservoirs and transmission lines will destroy thousands of houses, towns, villages, fields, spiritual sites and even parts of the highest highway of the world, the Karakoram highway. But who will reap their benefits? Will they be able to generate as much electricity as promised? What will happen to the people, ecosystems and rivers of the Himalayas if the dams are built and climate change takes its toll?

Mountains of Concrete by Shripad Dharmadhikary, one of South Asia’s foremost water and energy experts, discusses for the first time the linkages between climate change and dam-building in the Himalayas, and comprehensively analyzes the impacts of the dam building spree on the region's people, ecosystems, and economy.

Join us for the launch of the report on Monday, January 12, 2009, from 2.30 to 4pm at the India International Centre, Annexe, Conference Hall 3 in New Delhi, India. Please RSVP to swarup.bhattacharyya@gmail.com.

The dams’ reservoirs and transmission lines will destroy thousands of houses, towns, villages, fields, spiritual sites and even parts of the highest highway of the world, the Karakoram highway. But who will reap their benefits? Will they be able to generate as much electricity as promised? What will happen to the people, ecosystems and rivers of the Himalayas if the dams are built and climate change takes its toll?

Mountains of Concrete by Shripad Dharmadhikary, one of South Asia’s foremost water and energy experts, discusses for the first time the linkages between climate change and dam-building in the Himalayas, and comprehensively analyzes the impacts of the dam building spree on the region's people, ecosystems, and economy.

Join us for the launch of the report on Monday, January 12, 2009, from 2.30 to 4pm at the India International Centre, Annexe, Conference Hall 3 in New Delhi, India. Please RSVP to swarup.bhattacharyya@gmail.com.

download the full report : 1.9 mb

ACT continues it run against North Sikkim power developers

(The indefinite relay hunger strike reaches 554 days.....)

GANGTOK, January 6:
Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) who is still maintaining its protests over the mega power projects in North Sikkim recently held two meetings at Lingdong and Hee-Gyathang in Dzongu.

An ACT release informs that the meetings were attended by large numbers of supporters of anti-dam movement in the area including youths and women. More meetings are being organized to apprise the supporters of the latest happenings in the matters in context of Ministry of Environment and Forest, the faulty Land Acquisition processes followed, and most importantly, other illegal matters that have been detected by ACT, the release adds.

The body also claimed that both NHPC and Sikkim Power Development (SPDC) has still not been able to furnish the information sought under RTI regarding the number of permanent locals employed, their designation, where stationed at the Teesta Stage V, 510 MW project (Dikchu-Singtam). “This clearly goes on to show that the promises and assurances of preference for local employment in the mega hydro power projects are empty”, ACT said.

The body pointed out that the non abidance of technical stipulations by Teesta Urja Limited, in the case of Teesta stage III, 1200 MW project has come to light through the spot visit of the Central Electric Authority (CEA). It has been pointed out in the report of the CEA team that TUL has violated the technical clearances pertaining to the de silting chambers and the dam construction design, which would compromise the efficiency of the de silting chambers resulting in the over all power production and the safety of the dam.

“This shows that the companies are not following the stipulations and violating the conditions laid by the central authorities. How can the State authorities, in spite of their grand assurances enforce them? Also the findings of the CEA clearly go on to show the impending disaster in future for the people of the State”, ACT said.

ACT also alleged violation of guidelines of Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) by the Panang project developers. “Though the labourers are not to be allowed to stay back in Dzongu, in case of Panang project, twenty members are staying back in the sheds build at the dam site by the company in blatant violation of the Clearance Condition of the MoEF”, the body said. ACT added that they confirmed it with a recent spot visit.
“ACT will pass a resolution and act accordingly regarding the violation, as no action is being enforced by the concerned authorities”, the body said in its press release.

source: Sikkim Express

ACT relay hunger strike completes 500 days

GANGTOK, November 2: After completing a marathon 500 days of relay hunger strike against the mega hydel power projects in North Sikkim, Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) who is spearheading the protests is soon expected to change their strategy of protests so that it gets more momentum.
The upcoming policy shift in the protests was revealed by ACT general secretary Dawa T Lepcha on October 30 with ACT observing 500 days of relay hunger strike at BL House at Sonam Gyatso Marg here.

The BL House has been the venue of the relay hunger strike since June 20 last year which was started by ACT against the North Sikkim power projects.

Speaking to media, Mr. Lepcha said that ACT is thinking of devising a new strategy of protest against the mega hydroelectric projects but did not elaborate what the new strategy was. “Our members will be meeting soon and we will decide on the new plans which we will inform”, he said.

Mr. Lepcha had lead two indefinite hunger strikes for 67 and 106 days. “Nothing is finalized yet but we do have some plans and we let media know at a suitable time”, he said.

ACT observed the 500th day of its relay hunger strike with a solemn puja ceremony to invoke the gods and seek their blessings at the first floor of the BL House which also houses an alter where monks from the Sangha of Dzongu (SoD), a part of the protests, holds puja ceremonies.

ACT had started the relay hunger strike at BL house from 20 June.





Mr. Lepcha also claimed of gross violations being perpetuated by power developers at Dzongu in North Sikkim while implementing the project. “Though a direction by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (dated 25/09/08) was issued to the General Manager of M/s Himagiri Hydro Energy Pvt Ltd that no labourers should be allowed to stay back in Dzongu after work hours, the direction is not being followed”, he said.

ACT had already submitted its claims before the North district administration who had directed the company to follow the Central guidelines. “However at present in spite of such directions, there are eight rock test drilling teams residing in Nom/Panang and thirty five members residing at Lingzya dam site”, said Mr. Lepcha. He also claimed labour sheds have been built at the site in violation of the condition that no labour or staff colony will be allowed inside Dzongu by the Ministry of Environment and Forest.

“This clearly shows that the company will not follow any conditions or directions issued by any authority and that the authorities in the state do not have the will to enforce the conditions. The mother company of Himagiri, the Nagarjuna Construction Company was booked for violation of conditions in Himachal Pradesh and was warned of being black listed. Who will enforce the conditions in our state?”, questioned the ACT general secretary.

Regarding the proposed Teesta IV project in Dzongu, Mr. Lepcha said: “It is strange that though the very genesis for starting of project, the Detail Project Report has been rejected by the Central Electric Authority, the Land Revenue Department and the Forest Department are employing dubious tactics to make the innocent people hand over their land to the company, NHPC, even before the DPR (which will decide whether the project will happen or not) is done”. Though there are many clearances to be obtained and procedures to be followed until land can be taken, the concerned department are trying to make people part with their land, he added.

“Why they are so much interested in being agents of the companies?”, Mr. Lepcha questioned.

Speaking on the decision of the state government to hand over the scrapped power projects to the original power developers, Mr. Lepcha said that the State government and the department should take a firm decision and not ‘wither’ from its decisions.
On the other hand, though ACT’s relay hunger strike has completed the 500 days milestone, its recent programmes have been sluggish with no major activities apart from the relay strike continuing at the BL House.

In September, a four member ACT delegation were in New Delhi to call upon officials from various concerned Ministries, Commissions and independent experts, agencies and organizations to apprise them of the protest.

It is informed that the delegation met officials at the Ministry of Environment and Forest,
Forest Advisory Board, Central Electric Authority, Ministry of Power and Energy, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Planning Commission, Commission for
Tribal affairs, Commission for Minorities, Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment which ACT has claimed was ‘highly fruitful’ and ‘the results of the visit would soon be known’. They submitted rejoinders, memorandums apart from presenting power point presentations of the hydel issue and the protest in Sikkim with focus on examples of loss and problems being faced by the commissioned and the on-going projects in the state.

source: Sikkim Express

Gandhigiri in Sikkim- Vibha Arora

The indigenous Lepchas of Sikkim are using Gandhian methods of protest to prevent construction of hydel projects that will destroy their land and the environment. At a time when politics has been reduced to a numbers game, they know that their minority status is against them. But they are determined to continue the struggle.

View Full Article

(Vibha Arora (aurora@hss.iitd.ac.in) is with thedepartment of humanities and social sciences,Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi

The Economic and Political Weekly, published from Mumbai, is an Indian institution which enjoys a global reputation for excellence in independent scholarship and critical inquiry. It is also the largest selling international policy journal on South Asia whose website is updated every week with new articles.)

ACT DELGATION IN NEW DELHI

A delegation of four members of Affected Citizens of Teesta were in New Delhi for eight days from the 18th-25th of September calling upon and apprising officials from various concerned Ministries, Commissions and independent experts.

The delegation called uopon the Ministry of Environment and Forest,Forest Advisory Board, Central Electric Authority, Ministry of Power and Energy, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Planning Commission, Commission for Tribal Affairs, Commission for Minorities, Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment.

They submitted rejoinders, memorandums apart from presenting power point presentations of the hydel issue and the protest in Sikkim with focus on examples of loss and problems being faced by the commissioned and the on going projects in the state.

At the Planning Commission, the presentation was done in the presence of ten members of the Commission headed by Dr. Kirith Parekh (member hydro)and Dr. Sayeda Hameed. The meeting concluded with the decesion to have a follow up meeting towards solving of the issue,comprising of independent experts, government representatives,representatives from the protestors and Planning Commission soon.

There seemed hope and acceptance of the genuineness of the problems being projected by the central authorities.

Meanwhile the relay hungerstrike is 477 day old.

Storage- based hydel projects to run of the river..............

photo source: http://www.ushwaia.in/frontpage.html

The Union power ministry is planning to give priority to storage-based hydel power projects that involve building of dams instead of run-of-the-river projects, which harness the flow of the water to produce power, for faster capacity addition to meet the growing energy needs of India.

"Storage hydro projects are the way forward to achieve sustainable development of energy," said Union Power Secretary Anil Razdan in a conference held by an industry body in New Delhi.

"There should be a greater emphasis on tapping the potential of storage hydro projects rather than run-of-the-river projects," he added



(conventional dams)



(run of the river dams)


Run-of-the-river, in general, was preferred because of non-displacement of local population while generating power. But these projects are usually located in very remote locations leading to long project delays. Hydro power accounts for more than a quarter of India's power generation capacity.

Recently, many southern states and even Maharashtra have complained of low power generation from hydel projects because of less than normal rainfall during the last few months.

Even run-of-the-river projects that are commissioned were facing problems like silting which result in stalling of power generating equipment, says Razdan. For example, Teesta power project in Sikkim was not operational for one month because of high levels of silting in the water.

The amount of silt carried by the river water -- which goes up significantly especially in the monsoon months like June, July and August -- acts as a major hurdle to the proper functioning of a hydro power plant.

Razdan also added that run-of-the-river projects have a limited scope of operation and generally lead to agitations by the local population due to gradual drying up of the water bed, citing the Bhagirathi Bachao Andalon and urging the states to take required steps for the promotion of storage projects.

"In storage projects, there is a better management of resources which facilitates the diversification of water resource to other purposes also like irrigation and drinking water supply," says an industry expert. Meanwhile, the state power secretaries recommended the formation of a proper solar policy to tap the vast reserve of solar power available in the country.

"We have already forwarded the draft of the policy to the government which consists of considerations on fiscal, production-related and technological issues," said the representative from Rajasthan.

source: http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=329391

SIKKIM UNIQUE IN FORM OF PROTEST AND NATURE OF GOVT RESPONSE -

A six member team of journalists from the state participated in a two day “Media Dialogue on Large Dams, Hydro Power and North East India” held in Guwahati on 01 and 02 September.

The media dialogue, participated in by journalists and activists from all over the North Eastern region, shared and presented power point presentations on the present day situation in the region vis a vis hydel projects, a trend which is now referred to as “the MOU Virus”.

In recent times, the North East has been referred to as India’s “future powerhouse’ with at least 168 hydro power projects for generating 68,000 MW planned here. Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim lead the hydel pack with a blitzkrieg of agreements (MoUS) signed with developers in the last few years. Infact, the Union Minister of State for Power, Jairam Ramesh, recently referred to this phenomenon as an “MoU virus”.

Around fifteen participants presented their reports and studies over the two days, which also saw active discussions and open house sessions. The purpose of the dialogue was aimed at discussing and debating some of the immediate as well as related long term issues like national level power planning, India’s experience in large dam building, the politics of environmental governance, private sector role in hydro- power development, dams and floods and dams, development and conflict.

Also to present its views on the second day of the media dialogue on large dams was the team from the Affected Ciitizens of Teesta (ACT) representated by Tseten Lepcha and Pemzang Tenzing. ACT received handsome appreciation throughout the meet in the manner in which the situation it had managed its protests against Dams on the Teesta. The ‘Satyagraha’ by ACT, incidentally, is the only protest in the North-East region which has chosen the path of non-violence. It is perhaps for this reason that Sikkim is the only State where the state government has scrapped hydel projects (four out of six in Dzongu), the participants and experts frothe other regions agreed.

Tseten Lepcha, a founder member of ACT, in his presentation gave a brief overview on the present scenario in Sikkim and also commented on the positive move of the state government to scrap four hydel projects in Dzongu, which, he said, also made Sikkim stand up as unique against other state governments in the NE which unlike Sikkim had still not taken any steps to meet environmental and social concerns raised by affected people in their respective states.

Social activists from the Northeast region, especially Arunachal Pradesh where more than 100 MoUs have been signed for hydel project development, and Manipur, which has a long campaign against projects such as the 1500 MW, Tapaimukh project, also spoke on the civil society raising concerns about agreements signed with developers and the cumulative social and environmental impacts of the proposed projects in the upstream and downstream areas.

A major concern raised was the likely demographic and socio-cultural upheaval due to influx of large labour populations in areas which have small indigenous populations.

The media dialogue was jointly organized by Kalpravriksh (KV), a 29 year old group working on environmental awareness, campaigns and research.

“The organization believes that a country can develop meaningfully only when ecological sustainability and social equity are guaranteed, and a sense of respect for nature and fellow humans is achieved,” said Neeraj Vagholikar of Kalpravriksh.

Further, Manju Menon of KV informed that the broad thematic areas of work for the organization include environmental education, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods, urban environment and environment and development.

“Over the years, KV’s work on environment and development has included research and advocacy on the environmental and social impacts of development projects and activities (for example dams and mining), and the environmental decision making framework for these,” added Kanchi Kohli from KV.

It was also informed that the group has supported people’s movements, NGOs, activists and communities on these issues. For the last seven years, KV has closely followed large dams in North East India and Panos South Asia (PSA) which is an organization that works with the media with an objective to create a just and democratic society through pluralistic and inclusive debates in the public domain.

With its secretariat in Kathmandu, Panos works with the media in five countries of the region through its seven offices. It broadly works with five thematic concerns – environment, conflict, globalization, public health and media pluralism. Established in 1997, PSA has consistently supported journalists through its various programmes and activities, pushed for inclusive and quality content in media and has worked to create interactive spaces between the three crucial agencies of information – media, academia and advocacy groups.

It was also agreed over the two days that the latest trigger for anti-dam protests was the alleged aggravation of floods in downstream areas in Assam due to the release of waters from the 405 MW Ranganadi hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh. Irrespective of what exactly emerges from the ongoing inquiry into the role of the Ranganadi hydro project in June 2008 floods, the debate has brought into sharp focus issues such as ‘dam induced floods’ which have been a reality across the country over the years.

The larger debate on downstream impact of dams has become a centre stage as people have begun to express concern about the issues such as loss of fisheries, change in wetland ecology in the flood plains and increased vulnerability due to massive boulder extraction from river beds and landslides induced by tunneling and road construction.

The media team from Sikkim included Sarikah Atreya, Editor, Sikkim Express; Pavitra Bhandari of Hamro Prajashakti; Pema Leyda Shangderpa, Senior Correspondent, The Telegraph and Anand Oberoi, Sr Correspondent, NOW!


ANAND OBEROI

Source:NOW! Dated 5th September, 2008

CEA REJECTS DPR OF NHPC IV HYDRO ELECTRIC PROJECT

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has returned the Detailed Project Report (DPR) on NHPC`s Teesta IV hydro electric project (HEP) seeking further clarifications on the project The agency has made it clear that it will only be able to process the DPR for concurrence once the state owned power utility resubmits the DPR after incorporating or resolving the following points or issues raised by the CEA:

Inadequate investigations at dam site, desilting chambers and power house area.
No fixed time framework indicated for carrying out the pending or additional geological investigations because of opposition by the local Lepchas Community.
Options for providing single HRT, single surge shaft and two pressure shafts for optimizing civil works needs to be explored.Hydrological data upto year 2006-07 along with daily rainfall data needs to be provided in the DPR. Additionally, NHPC needs to obtain satellite imageries to determine the snow line.Review of flood discharges is important.Explore the possibilities of reducing the cost of the project.

The CEA received the DPR for the project in April, 2008 and sent it back to NHPC in June, 2008.


source: www.energylineindia.com

Sikkim govt to review decision to scrap hydel projects

The move is aimed to mollify the private developers one of whom has moved the High Court challenging termination of its project in East district

(The Mint, August 4, 2008)


PTI
Gangtok: The Pawan Kumar Chamling Government in Sikkim has decided to review its decision to scrap 11 hydel power projects in a bid to mollify the private developers one of whom has moved the High Court challenging termination of its project in East district.

"The Chief Minister, who also holds Power and Energy portfolio, would himself review the scrapping of 11 hydel projects and take appropriate decision in this regard," Power and Energy Department Secretary Pema Wangchen said.

Asked whether the private developers would get back their individual projects for execution, Wangchen said it was for the chief minister to decide on it.
Sources, however, said that the state government had been rattled by the private developers' threat to take the matter of termination of their projects to the Court for adjudication and so decided to return the scrapped projects to the individual developers for execution.

One of the developers — Madhya Bharat Power Corporation Ltd — whose project at Rongnichu (96 MW) in East district was among the projects terminated by the state government last month, has filed a petition in the Sikkim High Court challenging scrapping of the project.

Infrastructure development

Sources said that the state government has decided to restore the contracts to the developers to avoid disputes which might hamper the infrastructure development in the state under the Public-Private-Partnership mode. "Private developers, at the same time, would be required to deliver on the execution of their projects this time once their contracts get restored," the sources said.

The Sikkim Government had scrapped 11 hydel projects — Rangyong (117 MW), Rongnichu (96 MW), Sada Mangder (71 MW), (Bhasmey 32 MW), Rolep (36 mw), Chakhungchu (50 MW), Ralong (40 MW), Lingza (99 MW), Ting Ting (90 MW), Rateychu-Bakchachu (40 MW) and Tashiding (88 MW) in recent months charging the developers with delay in executing the projects.

The state government had slammed some developers of failing to acquire land for development of hydel projects, while in some cases, the developers had even failed to prepare the detailed project reports and obtain the mandatory clearance from various government departments prior to the commencement of their projects.


source: http://www.livemint.com/2008/08/04095705/Sikkim-govt-to-review-decision.html

Sikkim govt to review decision to scrap hydel projects

The move is aimed to mollify the private developers one of whom has moved the High Court challenging termination of its project in East district

(The Mint, August 4, 2008)


PTI
Gangtok: The Pawan Kumar Chamling Government in Sikkim has decided to review its decision to scrap 11 hydel power projects in a bid to mollify the private developers one of whom has moved the High Court challenging termination of its project in East district.

"The Chief Minister, who also holds Power and Energy portfolio, would himself review the scrapping of 11 hydel projects and take appropriate decision in this regard," Power and Energy Department Secretary Pema Wangchen said.

Asked whether the private developers would get back their individual projects for execution, Wangchen said it was for the chief minister to decide on it.
Sources, however, said that the state government had been rattled by the private developers' threat to take the matter of termination of their projects to the Court for adjudication and so decided to return the scrapped projects to the individual developers for execution.

One of the developers — Madhya Bharat Power Corporation Ltd — whose project at Rongnichu (96 MW) in East district was among the projects terminated by the state government last month, has filed a petition in the Sikkim High Court challenging scrapping of the project.

Infrastructure development

Sources said that the state government has decided to restore the contracts to the developers to avoid disputes which might hamper the infrastructure development in the state under the Public-Private-Partnership mode. "Private developers, at the same time, would be required to deliver on the execution of their projects this time once their contracts get restored," the sources said.

The Sikkim Government had scrapped 11 hydel projects — Rangyong (117 MW), Rongnichu (96 MW), Sada Mangder (71 MW), (Bhasmey 32 MW), Rolep (36 mw), Chakhungchu (50 MW), Ralong (40 MW), Lingza (99 MW), Ting Ting (90 MW), Rateychu-Bakchachu (40 MW) and Tashiding (88 MW) in recent months charging the developers with delay in executing the projects.

The state government had slammed some developers of failing to acquire land for development of hydel projects, while in some cases, the developers had even failed to prepare the detailed project reports and obtain the mandatory clearance from various government departments prior to the commencement of their projects.

AUGUST.....................

Its been a while since the blog has been updated. However, The Affected Citizens of Teesta carry on every single day tirelessly to convince Sikkim and the powers that be that the hydel course is the wrong choice and that they live on each day to fight for their homeland Dzongu and also for the rest of Sikkim from being overrun by white gold profiteers.

On the 6th of August the members of the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) placed various points and arguments for scrapping of the Panang hydel power project in a preliminary round talk held with the Power Department officials.

The meeting held in the office of the Secretary, State Power and Energy Department was attended by ACT members led by its vice presidents, Chopel Lepcha and Tseten Lepcha along with Sopourna Lahiri, member of the independent committee.

In a press release, ACT general secretary, Dawa Lepcha said that “the much expected talk after the scrapping of four projects in Dzongu and the withdrawal of the indefinite fast by the members of the ACT, centered around the two projects in Dzongu which we want to be stopped as well, namely Panang and Teesta IV, which are in the heart of Dzongu and which will be the most harmful to the people.”

During the meeting, ACT members pointed out that the concurrence from the Central Electric Authority was yet to be received for the project work to start, apart from the test drilling for rock samples, he said. They said that even Forest Clearance and Clearance from the Tribal and Social Justice Ministry were also pending.

It was also reminded that 4005 ha of Khangchendzonga National Park and Biosphere Reserve was being encroached in violation of Supreme Court Rulings and National Park Notification, by the CAT plan of the Panang project. Besides, 20 monasteries including Mani Lhagangs, sacred springs, lakes and landscapes, which are propitiated by the Lepchas, the nature worshipers were getting affected by the implementation of the projects in Dzongu, the general secretary said in a press release.

ACT also mentioned the recent declaration of the Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy, that run-of-the-river projects in the country will not be given priority.
At the same time, the activists maintained that they are ready to comply by the suggestions put up by the independent expert committee who had visited the project area in May, that moratorium of ten years is also acceptable to them in case of Panang project, with other projects standing scraped.

Mr. Lepcha also said that ACT has asked a letter ordering the stopping of any illegal project related work until the concurrence and clearances are received.

The State Power Secretary on his part said that the government can stop the projects if the majority of the people are not in favour of the projects. He also pointed out that no project related work will be allowed to start until the concurrence from the CEA is received and other clearances.

Next round of talk is awaited, the general secretary added.

Meanwhile, in West Sikkim on the same day, the situation turned hostile at the Pelling ground when the scheduled public hearing had to be cancelled at the last minute today.

The public hearing of the Rimbi Hydel Power Project (66 MW), to be commissioned by Gammon India Limited was cancelled when the team from the State Pollution Control Board and Sikkim Power Development Corporation failed to turn up at the venue. Even the area MLA could not attend the public hearing due to road blocks from massive landslides, which had occurred at Legship.

On the other hand, landowners from Gyalshing, Lingchom, Rimbi, Darap, Pelling, who had come for the hearing organised by the SPCB lamented that the Gammon India Limited did not respond to their queries.

The people, who were already confused over the cancellation of the public hearing, said that they were kept in dark regarding many issues pertaining to the project.
“Since we are parting with our lands, we just wanted to what exactly the Memorandum of Understanding contains,” said one person.

They further complained that not a single meeting has been held with the local Panchayats, NGOs or senior citizens regarding the said project.





















(The above pictures are pictures of Teesta Stage 3 Project coming up at the confluence of the Teesta and the lachung Chu at Chungthang in North Sikkim. It is one of the biggest dams to come up in India with a capacity to generate 1200 MW. This once sleepy little beautiful town with an old British bungalow from the time of the Raj wakes up each morning to sirens of blasts that tear through the hills to make way for the tunnels. Tourists and locals driving to Sikkim's favorite holiday destination of Yumthang and lachung have to bear the the thought of man's excesses in this truly beautiful valley....)


The Affected Citizens of Teesta (Act) also raised serious concerns over the grave violations of environmental and human rights violation in North Sikkim, especially in the project site of the Teesta Stage III, being developed by the Teesta Urja Limited.

ACT’s Tseten Lepcha has said that the violation is due to the unconstitutional protection given to the Teesta Urja Company Limited by various department of the State Government.

Concerned by the discovery of a dead “Serrow” or Thar, listed on the Scheduled I of endangered animals list in the project site contrary to the findings of “doctored studies of agencies like WAPCOS and the connivance of the Chief Wild Life Warden of the State Forest Department” that there are no wild animals in the project area, Mr. Lepcha said that the same was a proof that the agencies who carried out the studies were incompetent or doctored their findings. “Even the State Forest Department failed in their role to carry their basic duty of protecting the Wild Life,” he alleged.

“Despite the fact that the damsite is located within the buffer zone of the Khangchendzonga Biosphere reserve, all studies carried out by agencies like WAPCOS at the behest of the Teesta Urja company for the Environment Impact Assessment and subsequent EMP have stated that there are no wild animals in the project Area,” Mr. Lepcha said in a press release.

On objection by the people in the public hearing to this issue, the Central government had asked the opinion of the State Wild Life Department. But the Chief Wild Life Warden without even giving a thought to the actual facts gave an NOC saying that there is no threat to wild life, he said.

The forest officials, who were present in the public hearing, are also alleged to have not pointed out the facts of the existence of wildlife in the proposed project area.
Informing that a case was registered and that the IOU has recorded presence of blood in around the area where the animal carcass was found with a horn broken, Mr. Lepcha said that it was shocking that the post mortem report of the Veterinary Doctor of Chungthang concluded that the animal died of respiratory problem after eating some cardboards and plastics.
The State Land Revenue Department, Mangan handed over land compensation cheques to the land owners of Lingchom-Tanek.

The land will be utilised by Sneha Kinetic Power Projects Limited for the construction of 96 MW hydel power project at Dikchu Sorongdong area. The project is a run-of-the river scheme and envisages construction of a 36-metre high concrete gravity dam across Dikchu River. This is the first phase disbursement at Rongyong where 13 families have been affected and a cheque amounting to Rs. 1, 55, 96, 112 were handed over to the land owners.

The three affected families from Phodong were handed over a cheque worth Rs. 1, 21, 70, 400 while the 15 families at Tanek were handed over a cheque amounting to Rs. 2, 63, 99, 497.

During the programme, the area MLA, Hissey Lachungpa said that the amount received should be utilized well and that the construction of the power project in the region will benefit everyone. He also added that local youth will get jobs and contract works.

About 80 percent has been disbursed in the first phase and 20 percent amount will be disbursed later, it was informed.

Day 428

Today is day 428. We go on with your love and support.


Though the Environment Impact Assesment (EIA)of Teesta Stage III, 1200MW project callously mentioned there was no major wild life presence in the project vicinity, a Serow, (Himalayan Thar)a endangered Schedule (I) animal was killed in the dam site of the project recently. Had ACT not raised the issue, it could have gone unoticed.

Similar incidences are bound to happen in future if the projects, as random as they are, are not stopped, as all the projects are in close proximity of the Kanchenjunga National Park and the Biosphere Reserve in North Sikkim, with some even being planned inside the National Park.

Govt scraps 3 more projects.........

The Sikkim Government's red carpet welcome to just about any corporate interested in investing in hydel projects in Sikkim seems to be going sour.

After discarding four hydel projects in March, the Sikkim government has scrapped three more such projects in the state accusing private developers of delaying execution of their contracts.

The Government says that the contracts of hydel projects of Sada-Mangder (71 Mw) in West and South districts, Bhasmey (51 Mw) in East district and Rongnichu (96 Mw) in East district have been terminated due to the failure of the private developers to execute these projects on schedule.

The private developers, Gati Investments Ltd and Madhya Bharat Power Corporation Ltd, have been duly informed about the state government's decision to terminate the contract of the three power projects on grounds of delay in work execution, which, the Government says had caused financial losses to the state exchequer.

The Sada-Mangder and Bhasmey hydel projects were awarded to Gati Investments Ltd in November 2003, while the Rongnichu hydel project was awarded to Madhya Bharat Power Corporation Ltd in March 2006.

The Government also said that the developers whose contracts had been cancelled did not even submit the detailed project report, not to speak of other unfulfilled obligations.

On the other hand, private developer Madhya Bharat Power Corporation had filed a writ petition in the first week of july in the Sikkim High Court challenging the cancellation of the project at Rongnichu (96 MW) stating that the required land for the project had not been made available.




Its a wise decision of the Government to scrap the projects mentioned and it is a welcome move. However the issues of the larger dams being constructed are still a cause of concern. More activity on the fragile ecosystem and in a wider scale cannot escape the eye of the ordinary Sikkimese. It has been making a worrisome sight for an average person here in Sikkim impossible to ignore and wonder and perhaps ponder.

Suggestions have been made earlier and even mentioned in the C C Study and also from concerned quarters that maybe a time frame should be given to study the impact of the larger projects before giving the go ahead to the other projects planned keeping in mind the fragile and volatile ecology. Besides, sourcing of other alternative forms energy could be experimented. Efforts to generate at least about 20 percent of the Total Megawatt generation target as planned by the Government could be sourced from other environmentally safer forms like wind, mini hydels etc..

Well all in all, at least its better news than expected! and it sums it up on this letter which appeared in the Citizens Reporter column of Gangtok's popular English Daily, "The Sikkim Express" the other day:

"Gangtok, Sunday, 18 July 2008

" SCRAPPING OF HYDEL PROJECTS: A WELCOME STEP"

We would like to thank the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling for taking a
bold step in scrapping the 51 MW Bhasmey Hydel Project in East Sikkim
and all other hydel projects mainly the 71 MW Sada-Mangder and 96 MW
Rongni Chu projects and also four projects in Dzongu in North Sikkim.
This is a historical decision which will go a long way in minimising
the social, demographic and environment impact of dams in the State.
Most importantly, the overcrowding due to large influx, which could
have dangerous consequences of the small size of our State can be
avoided. Even one percent influx would cause demographic disturbances
in the State. Our fragile ecology cannot sustain so much activity.
Our area in Bhasmey is very dry and there is very little agricultural
activities carried out here. There is always a shortage of drinking
water, the monsoon is short and few families have their children in
government services. Government benefits/facilities and schemes hardly
come to these backward regions of Bhasmey.
We welcome the scrapping of the Bhasmey Hydel Project because we are
of the opinion that such mega hydro power projects will not really
benefit the poor, and also have great impact on our society and the
environment.
Instead, we would like to request the Chief Minister to provide us
with the latest technologies and techniques for modern agricultural
farming, poultry, piggery, diary farming, fisheries, orchards etc. All
these would give us much more avenues for income generation and
employment and happiness rather than commissioning big hydel projects
like 51 MW Bhasmey Project which will only make us poorer as we have
seen in the Teesta V project where some of our own relatives and
friends have lost everything from their agriculture land to house,
cattle, etc. and are living like semi- refugees in their own homeland.

Hem Raj Adhikari
Kumar Tahtal
Ari Singh Bagdas
Sunil Ghimerey
Bir Bdr. Yonzong
Laxuman Tamang
And all other residents of Bhasmey

Panang project's bleak future

The flash flood that occured on the 16th of August,2007 and 16th of may 2008, have clearly indicated of what the future holds for the Panang 280MW Hydel Project. The flooding continues unabated still.



The Teesta Stage V, 510MW power project further down stream , which had recently been commisioned, has run into trouble due to the floodings with the reservoir walls loosening and threateneing the residents of Dikchu.. Power generation has stopped since the reservoir got filled with the unprecendented huge amount of silt and flood materials.




Panang could face a similar situation too. During the monsoon, the reservoir of the project would face problems affecting production, and in the lean period, the aquatic ecology downstream of the dam faces the brunt.

It’s exactly a year now today, since two young men and their friends, lit a candle with showered scarves on them, and set out to do something rather unprecedented in our little state’s history. They started the most arduous phase of the already brewing struggle to protest against the mega dams threatening their homes in North Sikkim, by deciding to sit on an indefinite hunger strike.

No doubt this form of gandhian protest has been tried through the pages of history here, but, this time it seemed like a conviction like never before.

Long and torturous days lay ahead of them and for 63 days at a stretch last year and 96 the second time, did they have the courage and conviction to go hungry.

With it brought the hydel debate right out of the closet and which was earlier maybe only known and pondered over perhaps in only comfortable wooden paneled offices and homes and in the corridors of power.




Their sacrificial protest did throw up uncomfortable questions to the people as to why our dear, sacred and beautiful hills had started to be scraped dry of its clothing and everything it sustained for something called hydro electric projects and such questions will always be asked more and more and explanations sought.

Sikkim, always preferring its sweet slumber to having to think much of a more difficult tomorrow, does wake up to answer difficult questions facing it each morning.

This blog was and is dedicated to them and their courage.

And yes.....the hydel debate will continue........................

DAWA AND TENZING FINALLY CALLOFF INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE OF 96 DAYS HOPING THE GOVT WILL RECIPROCATE THEIR SACRIFICE AND PEACEFULPROTEST............

Dawa Lepcha and Tenzing Lepcha, Satyagrahis and members of Affected Citizens of Teesta finally broke their indefinite fast after going 96 days hungry.









However, ACT will continue with the relay hunger strike, which entered 361 days today, till all hydel projects planned for Dzongu were scrapped even though the government is determined to go ahead with it and the Chief Minister firmly reiterating of going ahead with all costs.

ACT vice-president and chief coordinator Tseten Lepcha said along with his organisation, Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim and the Sangha of Dzongu — the three bodies spearheading the anti-dam protests to preserve the fragile ecology of the Lepcha reserve — consider the government’s decision a bold one with regard to the scrapping of 4 smaller hydel projects coming up in Dzongu and seems optimistic of the government reconsidering the 300 Mw Panan Hydel Project too.



The letter from the principal chief engineer-cum-secretary of the state power department, P. Wangchen, requesting ACT members to call off the hunger strike said the 90mw Ringpi, 33mw Rukel, 120mw Lingza and the 141mw Rangyong projects have been scrapped officially. This is relevant as the government acknowledged it in writing to ACT.

“Ringpi and Rukel are located inside Khangchendzonga National Park. The government took a conscious decision not to allot these projects to any developer to conserve the environment and ecology of the area,” the letter to ACT president Athup Lepcha reads.

Meanwhile the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III Hydel Project coming up in ChungthangSspeaking on the occasion, he has welcomed and appreciated the decision of the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) to withdraw their indefinite hunger strike but stated that the 300 MW Panan Hydel Project will not be scrapped.




Besides, the Chief Minister also said at the occasion that a two-storied building would be constructed for those people whose land has been acquired by the government for the power project here.

“The project on completion would supply 12% free power to the State Government for the first 15 years and 15% free thereafter. Full ownership would be transferred to the government after 35 years, which would significantly contribute towards GDP revenues and overall development of the State,” Mr. Chamling said.

He further said that the power project will bring in economic boom for the people.He also urged he promoters of Teesta Stage III to cater to all the demands of the local people, which include the construction of a Community Center, maintenance of roads, school repair, construction of monasteries, drinking water supply and the construction a statue of Guru Padmasambhava!

Stressing on the point that stopping on-going work at hydel projects even for a day means a loss Rs 500 crore, the CM said that the local people would get 80 % job placement facilities as per the guidelines given by the State Government.

The 1200 MW Teesta Stage III Project at Chungthang project has been awarded to the consortium of promoters led by M/s Athena Projects Private Limited under the joint sector with the State Government under BOOT (build, own, operate and transfer) basis for a period of 35 years. Athena Projects in turn formed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)-Teesta Urja Ltd- for the implementation for this project. The Teesta III is the largest power project in the State.

Earlier, the Managing Director of Teesta Urja Private Limited, YN Apparao while placing the technical detail of the project. Stating the project as totally environment friendly, Mr. Apparao said there would be two underground desilting cambers of size 285X16mX21.2m each to exclude silt particles above 0.20 mm. “There will be 60m high concerted faced rock fill dam, two numbers, 11.0 m finished diameter tunnels, one intake tunnel, two desiliting chambers, headrace tunnel, two pressure shafts, underground power house complex, tailrace tunnel and pothead yard,” he informed. The project has received all the statutory clearances from the concerned authorities, he added.

The Area MLA, Lachen Mangshila, Hissey Lachungpa and MLA, Dzongu, Sonam Gyatso Lepcha also addressed the gathering.

Well.....time will only tell whether promises made like the ones mentioned above shall actually be delivered in terms of economic development which they speak at the cost of the various negative factors that are taking place to achieve the said result.

Sadly, the Rangit Hydel Project commissioned a decade ago and the Teesta Stage V Project commissioned a few months ago does not have 80 % Employees that are local! Locals here do not have the exprertise or are trained on the technical aspects of running these turbines and will not have so in the future unless and until they are begun to be taught now!

Likewise, the government has left basic services it should provide compulsorily ....'like construction of a Community Center, maintenance of roads, school repair, construction of monasteries, drinking water supply etc'! to private white gold corporates!

Who dosent notice the utter disregard of even the responsibility of at least patching up the tiny stretch of NH 31 A above Kalijhora that the NHPC was responsible for damaging!

And the omnipresence of Guru Padmasambhava does not need to be reminded in a statue built by profiteers from a distant deccan land! I just hope it is not encircled like the Natraj!!

Barely a few months in the commissioning of the Teesta Stage V prject at Dikchu, serious cracks have appeared in the reservoir walls and its a time bomb waiting to explode. More and more big and massive hydel projects being commisioned by the government on a war footing is nothing but a cancer which will make all of us suffer rather than get enlightened by the vague promises of economic development. Well yes....time will tell....and i wont be wrong...

It is also disheartening to know that an IITian and another environmentalist goes on a fast unto death to protest and demand the scrapping of 4 barrages to come up below the gangotri before Haridwar. Interestingly, Uttaranchal is ruled by a BJP government . If Setu Samundram is as important than the gangotri, it is hypocritical and rather amusing that it isnt an issue. This is India at the present and Energy onward to the national grid seems to be the mantra and to be acieved at any cost and it does make me highly cynical of my existence living in the Himalayas at this point of time in history. Sadly, we do not live in interesting times!

With inputs from:The telegraph & the Sikkim Express.

My dear friends,

Back in Spain, after my travel all thru India, I have remembered you, and your struggle, and first thing I would like to tell you is I am moved by your struggle, and I would like to join it in any way you deem appropriate. I have thought on translating some of the material in your blog to Spanish, and then try to get people to read it and send some letters to the Indian Ambassador to Spain, to the PM of India, and to the PM of Sikkim.

Also, in organizing, here in Madrid, some kind of event to let people know what is happening in Sikkim. Before doing anything, I would like to tell you and to ask if you think it is a wise thing to do, or what your people feel about what should be done.

I wait for your news.

A warm hug from your Spanish friend,

Antonio

Antonio Oria de Rueda BRO
worlds maker

81 days hungry................is anybody listening??

The indefinite hunger strike by satyagrahis and members of ACT has crossed 88 days. While Ongchuk Lepcha has been withdrawn by ACT after going hungry for 81 days, Dawa and Tenzing continue their hunger strike. While the relay hunger strike since June last year has crossed the 350 day mark, the second indefinite hunger strike continues.

Ongchuk Lepcha was withdrawn from the indefinite hunger strike because of him developing further complication due to jaundice. He also has a throat infection due to the ryles tube, which had started resulting in severe pain.

(Onchuk Lepcha withdrawing from the indefinte hunger strike after 81 days )
Tenzing Lepcha has joined Dawa and Tenzing Lepcha in the indefinite strike in place of Ongchuk Lepcha.

(Tenzing Lepcha replacing Ongchuk Lepcha )
Meanwhile there has been no response from the government. In spite of this ACT says that it will continue with the protest until there is a concrete step towards scrapping the projects Dzongu.
The independent team who visited Sikkim, is getting the final report on the mega hydro projects scenario in Sikkim ready, which they will than submit to all concerned Ministries and authorities with a follow up meeting with them. ACT has also been sending follow up memorandums to all Ministries, Commissions regarding the hydel issue in Sikkim.

Meanwhile, residents of Dikchu are spending sleepless nights as the temperamental and unpredictable Teesta rises slicing away portions of the protection wall of the dam reservoir of the Teesta Stage V.

Around 50 ft towards the left bank of the reservoir wall of the Teesta Stage V power project below Dikchu New Market at the boundary of Phodong Gompa has collapsed.

This is the second time that the protection wall lining the reservoir has given away in less than a week. A major portion of the wall was washed away on June 1 following incessant rains and a sudden rise in the level of the Teesta waters.
The residents of Dikchu have complained that NHPC has not fulfilled any of the promises made to the people in constructing strong protective walls. They allege that money sanctioned for the said walls have not been utilized.

The Area MLA and concerned officials have also been meeting the residents and criticizing NHPC for their negligence but it is rather ironic that these are the same people who are proponents of dams and policy of dams in Sikkim and have been hoodwinking people into submission to these destructive projects in the name of development.

This incident is just the tip of the ice berg on the possibilities of such disasters to come. With more and more such projects being forced unto the people in the name of development, such possible disasters will and should be an annual feature in our local dailies in the years to come!

79 days hungry.................Independent Commitee visits affected area and does assessment

It’s the 79th day of the second indefinite hunger strike by members of ACT and satyagrahis, Dawa Lepcha, Tenzing Lepcha and Ongchuk Lepcha. There is no official word from the government as to their demand of scrapping the controversial 280 MW panan hydel project that will cut right through their homeland, Dzongu. Though 4 other smaller projects have been scrapped, the panan hydel project remains and this has led the trio to their indefinite hunger strike in gap of less than 8 months from the earlier one of 63 days.

Dawa, Tenzing and Ongchuk are currently on their indefinite hunger strike outside BL house at Tibet Road. Doctors of STNM hospital visit them regularly. They look very weak and frail for not having eaten for close to 80 days now, yet their spirits look strong and determined to fight for their homeland, Dzongu against hydel companies out to destroy their culture and homeland in the name of development.

Meanwhile, a two day tour to study the impact of hydel projects in affected area in North Sikkim was undertaken by a 6 member team of NGO representatives, under the banner of Independent Committee on Big Hydro Projects of Sikkim.

The committee comprised of Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP(South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, Delhi, Souparno Lahiri, national Forum of Forest People & Forest Workers, Delhi, Ravindra Nath from Rural Volunteers Centre, Akajan Assam, Partho J Das from North Eastern Centre for Environmental Research and Development, Guwahati, Vimal Bhai from Matu Jan Sangathan, Delhi and Mr Arnab from Nespon, Siliguri.

The committee visited project sites at the 510 MW Teesta Stage V Project, the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III Project under construction in Chungthang and the 280 MW Panan Project coming up in Dzongu.

The press release of the committee given thereafter their visit to the affected areas in given below

Suspend Panang HEP for Five Years & take up small Hydro projects

May 20, 2008

The Independent Committee on Big Hydro Projects of Sikkim has over the last 4-5 days visited a Completed Public Sector Hydro Project like the 510 MW Teesta V HEP, the under construction private sector HEP like the 1200 MW Teesta III HEP and the Dzongo area, including the site of the proposed 280 MW Panang HEP.

We have talked with the affected people, elected representatives, project officials and contractors (Teesta III HEP), NGOs, Public Relations officer (Himagiri), visited the Central Water Commission office (Dzongu), we have gone through the official documents, data and clearance letters.

We are very concerned about the indefinite fast of the three activists of ACT, now in 72^nd day today, with the evident deterioration of the health of those on fast.

Broadly, we see that the Sikkim government, partly under pressure from the central govt, has hastily committed itself to develop large number (42 on last count) of big hydropower projects, without much consultation with Sikkim citizens, without considering the implications of the projects for the local people, environment, culture, future generations and even return on investment for the state and the people. It has also not seriously assessed the options available for electricity generation or options for development in general. This is evident in the way the Teesta V has been developed, the way Panang HEP MOU has been signed and Teesta III implementation has started.

For example, there is a huge potential of power generation in Dzongu & other regions of Sikkim through small and micro hydro projects. We were shocked to see that not a single small or micro hydro project has been developed in Dzongu region. In stead of assessing & realizing this potential, the govt has entered into an MOU with an unknown entity like the Himagiri for the 280 MW Panang HEP. This project will completely and permanently destroy the serene environment of the Dzongu, will destroy the culture, deeply affect the place with deep and unique religious sentiments and destroy the Lepcha Community's unique abode. The govt should rather suspend or declare moratorium on this project for at least 5 years and in the meantime take up the small and micro hydro HEPs in this region and also see the how the Teesta V and III (when completed) project performs.

Here it may be noted that the Panang Project still has not been given concurrence by the Central Electricity Authority under the Section 8 of electricity Act 2003. The project had applied for such a concurrence on Oct 17, 2006 and the application was returned without concurrence for lack of sufficient information on November 17, 2006. Without such a concurrence the work that has been now commenced on this project is illegal and should be stopped. This also exposes how improperly the projects are taken up in Sikkim.

On Teesta 3, the Teesta Urja Limited, the company that is developing the project has no track record on such projects. Here the govt should ensure that the company enters into and MOU with the affected communities to ensure that all possible impacts are avoided or minimised and properly compensated when unavoidable. The Environment management plan is implemented as required and local people benefit rather than suffer adverse impacts, as happens in all hydro projects. Complete videography of the houses, water sources, existing landslides and other structures should immediately be done to create a baseline data. The EIA-EMP should be translated in full in local language and made available. All this should be done before project is taken any further. If the project work continues without implementing all these steps, it would bring greater disaster than the Teesta V project, which has been a disaster as can be seen from the situation on ground.

All these steps should be implemented as a policy for all HEPs.