Tears rolled down the cheeks of a young Lepcha girl when Tashi Namgyal Lepcha from Panan village in North Sikkim wanted to carry on with the indefinite hunger even when he was put under oxygen mask.The 33-year-old protestor’s condition deteriorated today afternoon when he was unconscious for a while, doctors said.
He was admitted at the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital on March 23 when he was detected with jaundice and other body complications.
Mr Lepcha is on the 18th day of the ACT-led indefinite hunger strike against the implementation of mega-hydel projects in Dzongu, the Lepcha reserve.
“We don’t want our brother die like this. The Government has become mute spectators,” said ACT general secretary Dawa T Lepcha.
The president of Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim (CLOS), Gyatso Lepcha, who was seated next to Tashi Namgyal Lepcha said, “We have requested Tashi Namgyal to call off his hunger strike. We don’t want him to continue because of his critical condition.”
Besides Ongchuk Lepcha, both Tenzing and Dawa Lepcha are admitted at the hospital and are on the 18th day of the strike. All of them are determined to continue the strike until concrete solution comes from the government. Although their health condition is not sound, they are continuing their struggle refusing to take any food besides being administered intravenous fluids. Doctors said that Ongchuk, Dawa and Tenzing have developed liver and kidney complications.
Doctors further warn that if they continue without taking any oral intakes, the protestors may develop serious complications.
source: Sikkim Express
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