DAY 90

The Affected Citizens of Teesta in a meeting held on the 15^th of September, to review the hydel projects issue in Gangtok has decided in favour of re-launching their protests with more vigour against setting up of hydel projects in Dzongu. The indefinite relay hunger strike infront of BL Bhawan is still continuing as mark of protests.

ACT has also announced that it president Athup Lepcha has not accepted his inclusion in review committee announced by state government to study Dzongu hydel projects.

The indefinite relay hunger strike has continued with their deand for scraping all hydro-electric power projects in Dzongu is fulfilled.

This was in response to the Review Committee formed recently by the State Government, which the ACT termed as “arbitrary” action. The protestors have expressed their “disappointment” towards the State Government for “not taking any concrete steps to resolve the issue” even after the indefinite hunger strike was withdrawn by Dawa Tshering Lepcha and Tenzing Gyatso Lepcha.

“All the members in the Review Committee, including the State Chief Secretary as the chairman of the Committee is unacceptable,” said Dawa Tshering Lepcha, General Secretary, ACT, addressing a press conference here today. He also said, that ACT had not been consulted in the formation of the Review Committee or in the selection of Athup Lepcha (ACT president) as a member in the Committee.

“We were not consulted nor given any clue about who was going to be in the Review Committee. The Government has randomly nominated Mr. Athup Lepcha. We will not accept this,” he said.

ACT also rejected the Review Committee terming it as just an “eyewash.” The move has been substantiated by the point that that the review to be made for Panan, Rangyong, Lingzya and Ringpi power projects “does not hold water” as all these areas fall under the Khangchendzonga National Park.

It may be mentioned here that the Review Committee has also not mentioned reviewing the Teesta Stage II and IV.

“With these arbitarial works, it is concluded that the Government does not have any sincere intention of solving the issue,” ACT has said.

Earlier, ACT had demanded for independent and prominent environmentalists as members in the Review Committee and not necessarily people affiliated with the Government.

Apart from other conditions, ACT had also demanded for suspension of all Land Acquisition process till the review was done, which according to ACT was sidelined by the Government.

However, it maybe noted that Government of Sikkim has halted implementation of all hydel projects until the report of review committee set-up to study the issue submits its studies or report on matter within 100 days.