Renjyong Mutanchi Rong Tarjum forms new executive body

AGM ALSO FORMS BONGTHING ACADEMY COMMITTEE 
MANGAN, 15 April: The Renjyong Mutanchi Rong Tarzum (RMRT) central body, in coordination with RMRT North district, convened the annual general meeting at Mayal Hotel, Pentok, Mangan on 14 April.  The RMRT (N) formed a new executive body cum Bongthing Academy Committee.
The new RMRT committee comprises of Advisors, Chumki Saring of Mangan, TW Lepcha of Sentam, Khamsoom Lepcha of Chungthang and Choden Lepcha of Dzongu.  NT Lepcha as president, Lobzang Lepcha as vice president, Samten Lepcha & Lakching Lepcha as general secretaries, TT Lepcha & Samdup Lepcha as treasurer, Tenzor Lepcha, PT Lepcha & KT Lepcha as joint secretaries and Norden Lepcha, Laymu Lepcha & Kessang Saring as publicity secretaries. For the Boongthing Academy committee, Sonam Rinchen Lepcha, Kacho Lepcha, Namgyal Lepcha, Dr.OT Lepcha, NT Lepcha and Ton Tsh Lepcha have been nominated from all the districts.
The programme was chaired by Zilla Adhyaksha (N), Khamsoom Lepcha, president (RMRT) centre body, SD Lepcha, general secretary, Dr OT Lepcha, president (RMRT) North, NT Lepcha and members.
The president, RMRT (N), in his address spoke on establishing a unique Boongthing school with all language academy facilities which will preserve the Lepcha culture and identity of the community, for which we all have to approach the government, he  said.
The chief guest in his address said that the idea of starting a Boongthing school is very innovative and added that unity amongst all communities is important.
The general secretary, RMRT, centre body in his address said that, the meeting was supposed to be held last year in September but due to the earthquake it could not be possible. The centre body has been working for the progress of the community in coordination with the government but RMRT works have been delayed due to lack of finance, he shared. So now we have to start monthly membership collection drive for our own security and progress, he added. The Government has sanctioned Rs.16 crore for the construction of 'Fat Fuetyok' at Daramdin to preserve historical artefacts of the tribe and a statue of Munsolong is to be constructed in Upper Dzongu has also been sanctioned, he further informed.
The president (RMRT), centre body, said that the Government has already notified the Lepcha tribe as a backward community and defined as a Primitive tribe under 3(54) Parliamentary Affairs/518 on 18 November 2008 but we have never tried out to find out the benefits of the given status and that is our own weakness.
The house also highlighted on Public hearing of Teesta stage IV of NHPC held on 29 March 2012 which did not take into concern the general affected people and area MLA of Dzongu. DM (N) the chairman of the public hearing panel will be approached for conducting another public hearing for the affected public and place full details of the project and R&R plan.
In conclusion, the house also focused on shortage of teachers in Dzongu suggesting that the department should only appoint local candidates as most teachers are appointed from outside the district and after serving 2 to 3 months obtain transfer orders to other districts.