All those who have watched the 30 minute special Report --- "Kanchenzonga -Dam-Age Done" ---on Headlines Today will agree that it was a pretty fair and balanced report....on the Devastating impact of the 27 Hydro projects along the Teesta and its tributaries.

The point is that such efforts by the media needs to be highlighted by word of mouth and the powerful medium of the internet.I feel that the programme (shown on HT channel on Sunday at 4 pm and 9.30 PM) should be recorded and web-cast on the Net for the global community....also the programme could be recorded and its CDs distributed among genuine NGOs, Schools and colleges of Sikkim so that awareness about the issue is spread on a wider scale.

Talking about the programme, I think the most glaring proof of the Sikkim Government not knowing what it's up to, came from the statement of the Govt Spokesperson.

He said, not once but twice, that "We are not aware about the project impact in the Dzongu area....if that is the case, we will do a study...."This is so hilarious. A govt gives the go-ahead to a project, and then talks about damage assessment only when the local population starts protesting...or goes on hunger strike.God save us from such blind logic.

Hope that the powers-that-be see reason soon and realise that even THEIR future generations could one day be "displaced" and "uprooted" from their now-cosy ivory towers.For short-term gains, they have sold their souls. God save them, Amen.

RS, Delhi

DAY 21

Its now three weeks,....i.e........ 21 days.................504 hrs.....or............... 30,240 mins that the indefinite hunger strike by Satyagrahis and Members of ACT led by Dawa Lepcha and Tenzing Lepcha began.

Among the existing Satyagrahis from the previous days, more have joined today.

Tashi Lepcha, Pempa Lepcha and Mingma Lepcha from Burtuk along with Kalzang Lepcha and Dawa Tshering Lepcha from Dzongu have also joined the indefinite hunger strike today along with the existing satyagrahis from the previous days.

Not much has changed since the previous days Support has been coming in from various people across different walks of life.

The indefinite hunger strike continues into its 22nd day tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the forbidden city, Lhasa, yesterday recorded its highest temperature in July of 29 degrees celcius in 30 yrs.

The Tibetan plateau, regarded as a barometer for the world's climatic conditions, has seen its glaciers melt at an annual average rate of 131.4 square kilometers over the past three decades.

And the situation is set to worsen. Tibet experienced its third "warm winter" in the last seven years this year, with a temperature rise of nine degrees more than average in some areas.

(Lamps with prayers of hope at the site of the hungerstrike(below).

This is in response to Tara's comment.

What Tara has mentioned is so true....the people in Sikkim are so wrapped up in their protected shells that they are akin to ostriches who think that by burying their heads in the sand, the problem will go away. Or else they are like the pigeon who on seeing the cat closes its eyes and think the cat will go away.

Well, wake up People...and that includes every lepcha, bhutia, nepali. This is not about community. At the end ,if you look beneath the layers, it does not matter whether you are from this belief or that strata. what matters is whether the Sikkim we all belong to stays with us or is taken away from us.

For once...people....BE BRAVE AND STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS.Weren't you all taught in school to always stand for your rights? Well now is the time. FIGHT FOR THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF SIKKIM.FIGHT FOR YOUR PRESENT.FIGHT FOR YOUR FUTURE.FIGHT FOR SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE ...