GROUP DEMANDS INSTITUTION OF HIGH-POWERED COMMITTEE TO STUDY 18 SEPT EARTHQUAKE, WANTS ALL HYDEL PROJECTS SUSPENDED IN THE INTERIM
GANGTOK, 29 Sept: To introspect on what went wrong in the 18 September earthquake, Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) convened a meeting of concerned citizens and members of civil society at Gangtok today, informs a SIBLAC release.
The meeting was attended by High Court lawyer Hemlal Bhandari, SAFE president Bharat Basnet, ASESE&UA president Naveen Kiran, Nagarik Suraksha Sangathan president Prem Goyal, Human Rights lawyer Dr. Doma T Bhutia, retired civil servant SP Subba, Supreme Court advocate Jangpo Sherpa, ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha, journalist Pabitra Bhandari, NASSS coordinator Sonam Bhutia, Rongong Youth Club advisor Gayching Bhutia, writer Kamal Chamling “Kamrange’, advocate Jigme W Bhutia, journalist Punya Prasad Koirala and others, the release details.
The meeting decided to constitute a Peoples’ Forum on Earthquake under which a 10-member “Fact Finding Committee” has been formed for damage assessment, the release informs. The Committee is headed by SIBLAC convener Tseten Tashi Bhutia and will begin its tour of earthquake affected areas of North Sikkim on Sunday.
A drafting committee headed by Mr. Bhandari and comprising three other lawyers has also been formed to communicate with the Government. Retired civil servant, SP Subba, has been elected as the Convener of the Forum.
The meeting resolved to demand the appointment of an independent High Powered Committee by the Union Government headed by a retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and comprising of experts in the field of seismology, structured engineering and geological science.
It was further resolved to demand suspension of all kinds of activities at the proposed or commissioned hydroelectric projects in the State till said Committee submits its report.
Expressing deepest condolence on the loss of lives and property it was stated at the meeting that “all those who suffered are not because of their mistakes but because of us who failed to realize that things of nature do not really belong to us; we should leave them to our children as we have received them”, the release states.
Stating that SIBLAC has made several representations to policy makers and political leaders of India about the impending dangers of implementing mega HEPs, the release points fingers at these mega projects for the destruction brought about by the earthquake.
Advocating the right to criticize the government in a democracy, the release also points out that those who criticize developmental policies of the Government are not necessarily “Anti-Development” elements.
GANGTOK, 29 Sept: To introspect on what went wrong in the 18 September earthquake, Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) convened a meeting of concerned citizens and members of civil society at Gangtok today, informs a SIBLAC release.
The meeting was attended by High Court lawyer Hemlal Bhandari, SAFE president Bharat Basnet, ASESE&UA president Naveen Kiran, Nagarik Suraksha Sangathan president Prem Goyal, Human Rights lawyer Dr. Doma T Bhutia, retired civil servant SP Subba, Supreme Court advocate Jangpo Sherpa, ACT general secretary Dawa Lepcha, journalist Pabitra Bhandari, NASSS coordinator Sonam Bhutia, Rongong Youth Club advisor Gayching Bhutia, writer Kamal Chamling “Kamrange’, advocate Jigme W Bhutia, journalist Punya Prasad Koirala and others, the release details.
The meeting decided to constitute a Peoples’ Forum on Earthquake under which a 10-member “Fact Finding Committee” has been formed for damage assessment, the release informs. The Committee is headed by SIBLAC convener Tseten Tashi Bhutia and will begin its tour of earthquake affected areas of North Sikkim on Sunday.
A drafting committee headed by Mr. Bhandari and comprising three other lawyers has also been formed to communicate with the Government. Retired civil servant, SP Subba, has been elected as the Convener of the Forum.
The meeting resolved to demand the appointment of an independent High Powered Committee by the Union Government headed by a retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and comprising of experts in the field of seismology, structured engineering and geological science.
It was further resolved to demand suspension of all kinds of activities at the proposed or commissioned hydroelectric projects in the State till said Committee submits its report.
Expressing deepest condolence on the loss of lives and property it was stated at the meeting that “all those who suffered are not because of their mistakes but because of us who failed to realize that things of nature do not really belong to us; we should leave them to our children as we have received them”, the release states.
Stating that SIBLAC has made several representations to policy makers and political leaders of India about the impending dangers of implementing mega HEPs, the release points fingers at these mega projects for the destruction brought about by the earthquake.
Advocating the right to criticize the government in a democracy, the release also points out that those who criticize developmental policies of the Government are not necessarily “Anti-Development” elements.
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