The Hindu Business Line : Hunger strike against hydel projects in North Sikkim

The decision to go on strike was prompted by a total lack of empathy from the State Government towards the concerns of the people who will be affected by the projects.

Gangtok June 25 Concerned over the slew of hydel projects planned in the State, the affected people of North Sikkim, especially those from the indigenous Lepcha community, have begun an indefinite hunger strike here from June 20.

The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), an organisation spearheading the campaign against mega hydel power projects in the State, is leading the hunger strike.

Members of Concerned Lepchas of Sikkim and the Sangha of Dzongu are also taking part in the strike in front of the Bhutia-Lepcha House here, in an effort to draw the attention of the State Government to the long-term implications of setting up mega hydro-electric power projects, especially in the Dzongu area of North Sikkim.

The decision to go on a hunger strike was prompted by a total lack of empathy on the part of the State Government towards the concerns of the people who will be affected by the mega hydel power projects planned in the State.

"The decision of the State Government to give green signal to over 14 such projects in North Sikkim without taking the larger environment and social implications into consideration is totally wrong," said Mr Dawa Lepcha, General Secretary, ACT.

"The double standards of the State Government is revealed in the fact that while, on one hand, it has accorded the primitive-tribes status to the Lepchas, on the other hand, it plans to take away the very land and indigenous culture of the people it claims it is protecting," Mr Lepcha said.

Six mega projects have been planned in the Dzongu area alone. The 260-MW Panang project, slated to come up in the Dzongu heartland, has already been awarded to a private consortium.

The Dzongu area in North Sikkim, home to the Lepcha people, is a restricted and protected area under the old laws of Sikkim, which is also protected under Article 371-F of the Constitution, which grants special status to Sikkim after its merger with the Indian Union in 1975. Established in the early 1960s, during the time of the erstwhile monarchy, the territory has been reserved for the Lepcha community and borders the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve.

The people of Dzongu are demanding an immediate halt to all the projects planned in the area. They also want protection for the environment and ecology associated with the Khangchendzonga National Park and the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve.

They have also protested against the decision of the State Government to go ahead with the Teesta Stage-III project in Chungthung in North Sikkim, even as the appellate hearing against the environmental clearance is continuing.

It may be mentioned that the Central Electricity Authority, in its 2001 preliminary ranking study of the hydroelectric potential of river basins in the country, identified 21 large projects in Sikkim for generation of 3193 MW of hydropower. Following this study, a 50,000 MW hydropower initiative was launched in 2003 under which pre-feasibility reports for 10 projects in Sikkim have been prepared. These projects are proposed to generate a total of 1,469 MW.

Six projects have been envisioned along the Teesta river in Sikkim out of which stages I-IV are in North Sikkim with an installed capacity of 2,315 MW. Stage V (510 MW), which is located in North and East districts and developed by the NHPC, is nearing completion. Stage VI (360 MW) will be located further downstream in the East and South districts.

Sikkim has the potential of producing about 8000 MW through hydel projects. The Sikkim Government plans to add a total of 5,148 MW capacity by the end of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.

Altogether 22 new mega hydro-power projects on the Teesta and its major tributaries have already been awarded by the State Government to various public and private sector power developers. The State will receive 12 per cent free electricity from each of these projects and plans to sell the surplus to other States. Hydel power is seen by the State Government as a major source of revenue.

More Stories on : Power | Environment | Other States

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page