Joint Action against hydel projects on Rathong Chu submits memorandum to CM

GANGTOK, 05 Dec: The eight organizations which have come together for Joint Action against Hydro Electric Power Projects in West Sikkim today submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister with the demand to stop Ting-Ting, Tashiding and Lethang Hydro Power Projects.

The memorandum, submitted to the Chief Minister’s Office today, cites the 1997 decision of the Chief Minister to scrap the Rathong Chu hydel project and states that in spite of the concern shown by the government towards the sanctity of the river at the time, it has now turned its back on Rathong Chu and the Yuksom region.
On a visit to the Yuksom region several cracks were noticed even at the power project sites following the earthquake and the villagers of the areas are now worried about their safety since private companies have started digging tunnels on mountains that have turned fragile after the earthquake, the memorandum states.
It further states that “Sikkim, as the government at the centre believes, can make significant contribution in the country’s power sector while allowing its rivers to be exploited to generate hydro power” and expresses that while contributing towards nation-building is every citizen’s duty, this cannot come at the cost of traditions and cultural heritage.
“We do hope that the Government under your leadership will uphold its own constitution and play its right role as being one of the people, by the people and for the people, and actively intervene by ceasing these three hydroelectric projects in West Sikkim,” the memorandum urges.
The memorandum concludes with the statement that if the Government fails to take any proper decision or initiative at the earliest and the affected people take up any kind of agitation then the state government would be liable.
Addressing a press conference today, All Sikkim Educated Self Employed and Unemployed Association president [ASESE & UA ], Nawin Kiran speaking on the memorandum expressed hope that the government will initiate follow-up action very soon.
Copies of the memorandum will also be submitted to the Prime Minister and all other concerned Union Ministries of the Government of India, it was informed.
ASESE &UA legal advisor, Zigmee Wangchuk Bhutia said that everything has been mentioned in the memorandum and now it is the duty of the government to look into this matter.