Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

GANGTOK, March 12: The Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) along with other anti-SDF parties supported the indefinite hunger strike by the affected citizens of Teesta against power projects coming up in Dzongu. The strike entered its third day today. The Opposition condemned chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling's statement that he was not open to discussion on the hydropower projects coming up in Dzongu. “The state government is ignoring public interest and the hunger strikers,” alleged SHRP spokesperson Mr Biraj Adhikary. “The state government has not formed any review committee as assured on the matter. It is cheating the Lepchas,” alleged Mr Thukchuk Lachungpa a SHRP leader. Yesterday Mr Chamling announced the ban of six projects in Dzongu in North Sikkim except the Panang hydro project. But he refused to disclose the reason behind theclosure. The chief minister, however, had also announced the start of several stages of the NHPC project. SHRP leaders alleged that the chief minister...

GANGTOK, March 11: The Sikkim chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling today announced that his government would stop construction of six of the seven power projects at Dzongu in north Sikkim, which had been cleared earlier. Construction of the Panang Hydro project would, however, continue. He also announced that three units of National Hydro Power Corporation project would be commissioned soon. He made these announcements in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly today on the last day of the budget session. The chief minister, however, refused to disclose the reason behind the government’s sudden back out from the six projects. He merely said that the generation of electricity from the proposed power project would solve the power crisis in the region. “We would also encourage Hydro-power tourism,” he added. n sns http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=10&theme=&usrsess=1&id=194711

Gangtok, Oct. 18: Protesters against the mega hydel power projects in Dzongu, North Sikkim, today claimed to have renewed dialogue with the state government. Representatives of various organisations involved in the agitation met Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Tuesday evening at Mintokgang — his official residence. This is the first time the chief minister has directly met those involved in the protest which has completed 118 days since the indefinite fast and the relay hunger strike began at B.L. House at Sonam Gyatso Marg here. The issue had reached a stalemate with no talks being held between the state government and the protesters in the recent past. Tseten Lepcha, the chief coordinator of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) who has been spearheading the protest told The Telegraph that the most important outcome of the meeting was the re-establishment of the dialogue process. “Now the representatives of the Lepcha community will be able to directly place their demand...

Hunger strike by ACT protesting Dzongu Hydel Projects at Dzongu enters 19 days, Panchyat and local people favours the projects Gangtok: The indefinite hunger strike by Affected Citizen of Teesta(ACT) enters 19days on July 9. Meanwhile local people and panchayat in a large number called a press conference here and supported the project stating that the project would bring more revenue in the State and development of Dzongdu area as well. The local Panchayat secretary Namdup refuted the allegation of ACT that the local people had given their land without their consent. Earlier, six more persons had joined in the hunger strike on July 3. The person who joined in the satrygraha are Phumit Lepcha, Pintso Lepcha and Zangpo Lepcha from Dzongu constituency and Khem Lal Gautam(60), Sachabir Limboo(61) and Ratna Bahadur Gautam(50) from Raley a...