Monks welcome Joint Action against hydel projects on Rathong Chu, confident CM will scrap projects

GANGTOK, 06 Dec: All the Sikkimese monks and monasteries have welcomed the Joint Action launched by eight organizations to protect and preserve the sacred Rathong Chu, conveys a press release issued by the general secretary, Enchey Monastery, Lopen Tshering Norbu Lama.

According to the release, the monks have questioned the veracity and authenticity of the recommendation of the State High Power Committee led by the Chief Secretary when, “in its so-called recommendation/ report, it utterly failed to address the religious-spiritual aspects associated with the anti-Buddhist Projects vis-a-vis Denjong Neyig”.
The release further iterates that it is “surprising” that the committee members did not consider it befitting to interview any Rinpoches, Khenpos, Tsampos, Lamas to understand the religious aspect or implication of the projects.
Stating that this “reflects their efficiency and intention” the monks question the purpose of having a Secretary from the Ecclesiastical Department in the committee in this regard. “We reject the so-called recommendation of this Committee, as thus” the release adds.
Mentioning that the Chief Minister earns the rare credit of having established the tallest statue of Guru Rinpoche in Sikkim and in order to uphold and respect his own commitments and declaration made during the closure of the then Rathong Chu project in 1997, the release calls upon the Chief Minister to scrap the power projects on the Rathong Chu river altogether.
“We still, however, have faith in our Chief Minister that he will definitely scrap all the anti-Buddhist Projects over the sacred Rathong Chu in West Sikkim”, the release states.