At a time when the Dzongu issue has still been teething the State Government for quite sometime now, the Citizen Forum investigation on the disbursement of compensation to the affected families of Teesta Stage V has revealed disturbing levels of fraud within the government.

In the latest incident, the Citizen Forum through a recently acquired “detailed information” by utilizing the power of Right to Information Act has revealed the involvement of the State Government in the scam of eating away triple the sum of the compensated amount.

During a meeting organized by the Citizen Forum yesterday, thousands turned up to witness the RTI document detailing about the actual amount compensated along with the names of beneficiaries.

As enumerated in the RTI document, for instance, beneficiaries from Rakdong Tintek and Khamdong entitled to receive a sum of Rs 25,000 and Rs 30, 000 on the contrary had been handed over a sum hovering around Rs 5,000.

Organised by Citizen Forum, the meeting was held at old Makha Bazaar under Rakdong Tintek constituency under the chairmanship of ACT President Athup Lepcha and President Citizen Forum Thukchuk Lachungpa. Various political party leaders along with former Rajya Sabha member PT Gyamtso also attended the meeting.

Addressing a huge gathering of people, Mr. Lachungpa said, “The government has deceived and cheated the innocent people of Sikkim by paying lesser amounts apart from the actual amount provided by NHPC, the evidence of which has been clearly documented in the administrative papers.”

Highlighting the aims and objectives in organizing the meeting he said that almost all the affected families have been the victim of the government’s unscrupulous scam and at the same time has demanded a suitable reply from the government on the issue.

“Now the forum will raise voice for the poor and the deceived; it’s time not only to place verbal assurances but also to raise a voice for such injustice, for which the Citizen Forum will fight for that, Mr. Lachungpa informed.

He also came heavily on the Chamling government stating that the government has failed to provide justice to the people of Sikkim. “The government is working as an agent for the company and does not have time to listen to the voices of its very own people,” Mr. Lachungpa alleged.

“If money counts everything for the political leaders, it is the graveyard of the ancestors, which matters most for the people,” he further said.

Mr. Lachungpa made clear that there shall be no development at the cost of environment and sentiments of the people – the statement which earned common applause from the gathering.

Though the agreement between the State government and the power company pronounce deployment of 25 per cent of local engineers, there are only eight engineers hitherto, he informed.

Talking over the printing and circulation of the pamphlets by SDF party against the people fighting for scrapping of hydel projects, Mr. Lachungpa said that a case has already been already filed against the party president and is the first of its kind against the Chief Minister.

Former Rajya Sabha member PT Gyamtso on his part said, “Although I became the Rajya Sabha member under the umbrella of SDF party, the undemocratic activities of the party has compelled me to spill the beans. “Now they cannot sell Sikkim in the name of development and civilization,” he said. He also expressed his dissatisfaction over the matter of Panchayat election stating it as entirely undemocratic.

Likewise, member CPI (M) State Committee Anjan Upadhaya also addressed the gathering saying that the party will extend its full support and co operation towards the Lepchas in safe guarding their identity and also to protect the old laws of Sikkim. He also informed that this time CPI (M) has fielded eight candidates contesting for the upcoming Panchayat election.

Also emphasizing on the protection of the old laws of Sikkim, Biraj Adhikari, said 371 (F) of an Indian constitution has provided special rights and provisions for the people of Sikkim. Thirty three years ago at the time of Sikkim being merged with India, Samar Mukherjee, CPI (M) leader had raised a voice of concern for Sikkim stating that the people of Sikkim are innocent and that its people require special provision to safeguard their rights against big industries and companies, Mr. Adhikari said. “Sikkim should build a statue of Samar Mukherjee,” as a mark of respect,” Adhikari added.

Tara Shresthra of SHRP and Shera Hang Subba of Sikkim Progressive Party also extended their support towards the cause raised by ACT in saving Sikkim from hydel developers.

Tseten Lepcha, chief co-coordinator of ACT informed that the hunger strike that has been carried out by ACT will not be stopped unless and until all the commissioned projects in Dzongu are scrapped.

Likewise, Gumbhi Wang of Universal peace Federation of Korea also addressed the gathering with the message of peace, love and tranquility in Nepali language.

The local people including Bhim Prasad Nepal and JB Poudyal also addressed the gathering detailing the alleged role of Rakdong and Khamdong MLAs in the scam.

A Central Secretariat member of the CPI (M) and former MP Nilotpal Basu today said that development projects should be sustainable and address all the concerns of a society or else the projects will be “destructive”.

Development projects should not necessarily move forward with the sole motive of benefiting a handful of people, the Left Front leader said while addressing a gathering of the Lepcha community, political leaders and social organizations here at BL House.

He further said that “religious, cultural & anthropological significance of Dzongu will be destroyed if all hydel projects are not scrapped.”

Reiterating the party’s support to the protests against the proposed mega hydel power projects in a Lepcha tribal reserve, Mr Basu said the Dzongu issue was about protecting primitive tribes and their cultural and religious significance.

“There are some issues where the State government has absolute power, as far as the protection of primitive tribe, their cultural and religious significance are concerned,” he stated.

Appealing all other communities to come forward in support of the Lepchas, the leader said the CPI(M) would support the Lepcha movement terming the demand as justified, secular and relevant.

Earlier, the ACT today submitted a memorandum to Mr Basu, appealing for his party’s intervention to scrap the proposed projects in Dzongu.

He also said that the Constitution empowers the Centre to intervene for the protection of minority communities, including the Lepchas.

“Our Constitution provides for preservation of different cultural and ethnic identities,” he remarked adding “Besides Dzongu, issues from the Northeast as a whole were not considered properly by the Centre, no matter which ever party came to power.”

Lepchas from Dzongu at North Sikkim, under the banner of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) have attained 116 days of relay hunger strike to protest the proposed implementation of mega power projects in Dzongu.

Six mega projects were being planned in Dzongu, which is inhabited by the last few members of the indigenous Lepcha community, who consider the area as sacred.

The protests had spread to the Lepcha community living in the neighbouring Kalimpong Darjeeling regions also.

Maintaining that the left party has the prime agenda for the upliftment of the tribal worldwide, the CPI(M) MP from Darjeeling Saman Pathak told the gathering that he had already raised the Dzongu issue twice in the Parliament and urged the local representatives of national political parties, especially Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party to exercise their power in this issue.