Chronicle 2010
Hydel Plan on Sikkim 'Holy River' hit
Jayanta Basu, The Telegraph
Three proposed hydroelectric projects in Sikkim that the state government hopes will bring it revenues are being opposed by an organisation of Bhutias and Lepchas on religious and environmental grounds. "If the proposals are cleared, we will oppose them with all our might", said an activist of the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee, which is spearheading the protests.
The committee has twice written to the Union environment and forests minister, Jairam Ramesh, asking him to scrap the projects planned on the Rathong Cho river, which local populations in western Sikkim consider holy. "The Khangchen Dzonga Yuksun area (where the projects are planned) is a bio-eco hotspot and home to some of the rarest and vulnerable flora and fauna in the Himalayas", said one of the letters.
As of now, the National Board of Wildlife has withheld environmental clearance to one of the projects, the 96MW Lethang hydel scheme. But the Sikkim government hopes to get it cleared eventually. Requests for clearance to the other two — the 99MW Ting Ting project and the 97MW Tashiding project — are lying with Jairam’s ministry.
"We want the remaining two projects scrapped too", said Tseten Tashi Bhutia, Convenor of the committee. "The projects are not acceptable from religious, socio-cultural and environmental standpoints. They can even wipe out the sacred land of the Bhutias and Lepchas, the indigenous tribal people of Sikkim."
The state government, however, strongly backs the projects, to be constructed by private companies. The Sikkim power development corporation has procured the land. State power minister S.G. Lepcha said: "These protests are the handiwork of a (particular) group of people. The projects were planned following a demand from local people. There was no protest during the public hearings on the projects." Lepcha, though, admitted that the projects were not just meant to supply power locally but to generate revenues by exporting power outside Sikkim. "Sikkim has a huge potential in hydro power. We are trying to tap a part of that", he said.
Members of the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee alleged that the public hearings had been 'manipulated'. "Instead of the state pollution control board, it was the private companies that organised and controlled the programmes. Even the government officials came to the hearings in cars arranged by them (the companies). There was large-scale arrangement of food and entertainment", said one activist.
In 1997, the Sikkim government had itself scrapped a hydel project in virtually the same area after a committee withheld recommendation to it. "The Sikkim Himalayas are richly endowed with biological resources. Orchids are abundant, there is a rich wildlife represented by the Himalayan black bear, musk deer, fishing cat, leopard cat, black-capped langur and a rich bird life. This unique landscape unit should be protected", the one-man committee of P. S. Ramakrishnan from the JNU School of Environmental Sciences, had said.
Dipak Chakrabarty, an environment scientist with a government institution in Bengal, said "extreme care" should be taken before such projects are undertaken in the Himalayas, because of the dangers of huge deforestation, loss of biodiversity and landslides.
SIBLAC appeals to H. H. the Dalai Lama
At the outset, the Committee has welcomed HH the Dalai Lama, the embodiment of Love and Compassion, to Sikkim and believe that this visit of the Holiness has definitely sanctified the sacredness of Sikkim as Mahaguru Padsambhava? s hidden abode says a press release issued by the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee.
At the same time, they also request His Holiness the Dalai Lama to kindly enlighten the Sikkimese people on the significance of the Denjong Neyig (guidebook to all the sacred locations of Sikkim as Beyul Dremo Djong) and the need to maintain its sacredness and purity. It is at this light that they have prayed to His Holiness to kindly enlighten the Government of Sikkim towards the maintaining of the sacredness and purity of the Rathongchu River, the only destined source of the Tashiding Bumchu at the grand Tashiding Monastery, the naval to all the sacred locations of Sikkim.
In fact, most of the peripheral area towards both the side of the sacred Rathongchu houses most of the locations as explained in the Denjong Neyig. More to the point, Gyalwa Lhatsun Chenpo has elaborated the significance of the areas in question as 'Gyagar Gyana Balyul Sacham Su, Peyme Nechen Beyul Dremo Djong' (In between India-China-Nepal, lies the greatest hidden country Sikkim of the Mahaguru Padsambhava).
SIBLAC also informed that the Government of Sikkim is hell bent on establishing unwarranted mega power projects on this sacred Rathongchu River despite numerous representation demanding the scrapping of the three proposed mega projects viz. Lethang Hydro-Power Projects, Tashiding Hydro-Power Project and the Ting Ting Hydro-Power Project, all proposed on the same sacred River of Rathongchu. At such backdrop, the Committee has parayed that His Holiness, the protector of Dharma, to kindly take up the matter both with the Sikkimese and Indian Governments so that they abandon with these haphazard projects that tends to disturb the purity and sacredness of the area in question which also goes in conformity with the written Kalop (instruction) of the HH the Dodrubchen Rinpoche who in writing has already called upon on the need to maintain sacredness and purity of the area in question that ultimately led to the closure of the earlier Rathonchu Hydro Power Project proposed on this same river in 1997.
However, as an alternative, these projects may be shifted to any other locations that are not detrimental. With complete faith on Dharma and Mahaguru Padsambhava, the Committee seeks refuge on the Wisdom, Protection and Compassion of the His Holiness the XIV th Dalai Lama, the incomparable Bodhisattava of the era with folded hands, concludes the release.
Meeting Smt. Spalzes Angmo, Member of the National Commission for Minorities
Quotations from the Tour Report in Spalzes Angmo's own words:
"After a long drive of six hours, finally reached Gangtok and after taking some much needed rest, I met a delegation of Bhutia and Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) led by convenor Tseten Tashi who appraised me of the sentiments of the Buddhist of Sikkim with regard to proposed 96 MW Lethang, Tinting and Tashiding Hydel Power Projects on the Rathong Chu; which is considered to be the most sacred river not only for the Buddhists of Sikkim but for the entire Buddhist Himalayan belt. The government of Sikkim had earlier scrapped another similar project on the Rathong chu to respect the sentiments of the Buddhists of Sikkim. According to the Nesol (A Buddhist text) the entire stretch of the area including streams, caves, trees, rocks and mountains are the eternal abode of Mahaguru Padma Sanbhava and hence the proposed Lethang, Tinting and Tashiding power project on the Rathong Chu should not be implemented to preserve the religious sanctity."
...
"Recommendations:
1. Inclusion of Bhoti Language in the eight schedule of the Constitution as demanded by the Buddhist community and also inclusion of Bhoti Language in the school curriculum of Sikkim.
2. To pave way for the return of the spiritual Guru His Holiness the XVII Gyalwang Karmapa Urgen Thinley Dorjey to Sikkim, so that his followers who have waited for 10 years, could receive his blessings and teachings.
3. Recommend the closure of the three hydro power projects i.e. Lethang, Tashiding, and Tinting on the most sacred river Rathong Chu, to respect the sentiments of the Buddhist community of Sikkim. Earlier in 1997, a similar project on the Rathong Chu considered to be the abode if the Mahaguru Padmasambhava was scrapped by the then State Government, since it is the most holy site for the Buddhist all over the Himalayan region.
4. Strong measures need to be taken up the state government to protect and preserve the unique and distinct identity of the Sikkimese Buddhists (mainly comprising of Bhutia and Lepchas) by promoting their culture, tradition and language.
5. The representation of Sikkimese Buddhists in Legislative assembly and all political bodies need to be enhanced since they have been reduced to a minority over the years and their political aspirations need to be fulfilled."
SIBLAC thanks Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister MoEF
In a Letter to the Hon'ble Minister for Environment & Forest, SIBLAC expresses gratitude for the recent rejection of the 96 MW Lethang Hydropower Project on Rathong Chu in West Sikkim, mentioning that an identical project had already been scrapped in 1997.
SIBLAC convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia points out, that the river, sacred to the Buddhist community of Sikkim, still is under threat by two other projects, and that these have to be abandoned as well in order to preserve the sacred landscape of West Sikkim from defilement.
Wildlife Board rejects Sikkim’s Hydro Project
The reconstituted National Board of Wildlife standing committee on October 13 rejected 13 of the 32 proposals put before it for using national parks and wildlife sanctuaries or areas around them for other projects.
The Board, headed by the Prime Minister, is the apex body on wildlife issues under the Wildlife Protection Act. Its standing committee, which includes wildlife experts and naturalists from outside the government, is empowered under the Act to clear all projects that require land within the Wildlife Parks and around them.
The reconstituted standing committee includes Brijendra Singh, M K Ranjitsingh, Divyabhanush Chavda, A J T Jonsingh and Prerna Bindra besides representatives of Bombay Natural History Society, Satpuda Foundation and Nature Conservation Foundation. The Union Environment and Forests Minister is the chairman with Director of Wildlife Institute of India and Director General Forests as official members.
One of the projects which the standing committee rejected was the 96 MW Lethang hydro electric project in Yuksam, West district of Sikkim, sources in the MOEF revealed.
KHC Lethang Hydro Project Pvt Ltd, developers of the Lethang project has been in the eye of the storm with project opponents like Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) and National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO), demanding scrapping of the said project, mainly citing religious sentiments and the violation of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, extended to Sikkim in 1998. KHC Lethang is part of the Kalpan Group of Companies, funded by two of world’s leading green energy focussed private equity groups. The group is at present engaged in developing a total of five hydro power projects across India, with their expertise of developing the run of the river type of projects.
Earlier, there have been media reports that the project developers have been trying to acquire land without proper government or local body permissions. Secretary, Power Department, P Wangchen claimes that "every single move till date, has been made by the Company with knowledge and approval of the local people and the government. KHC Lethang has public mandate of people from Lethang, Yuksom, adjoining areas, including monks from the Dubdi and Khecheodpalri Monasteries. In fact, these people have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, expressing their full support and mandate in favour of the project".
"They reiterated the same during the Public Hearing conducted by the Sikkim Pollution Control Board (SPCB) on September 16, 2010", Wangchen added. "There was an overwhelming support for the Lethang project by all sections of locals comprising of Nepalese, Bhutia, and Lepcha at the hugely attended public hearing for the project."
Convenor of SIBLAC, Tseten Tashi Bhutia, however, informed that "Any project on the Rathong Chu is not acceptable to us since it is on the waters of the most sacred river according to Neysol Buddhist texts. It is to us Buddhists what Quran or Bible is to Muslims or Christians. The water of Rathong Chu is used by the Tashiding Monastery for the annual Holy Bum Chu festival".
Monks cite holy River as Hurdle - Scrap Hydel Project Plea to CM
Monks along with the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee have petitioned the Pawan Chamling government to scrap the proposed Lethang hydel power project on the Rathong Chu, a river considered sacred by the Sikkimese.
The petitioners said in 1997, the Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front government had scrapped a 30 MW project in the same area, the Yuksom Valley, for similar sentiments. At that time, Chamling during an announcement on August 19, 1997, had said the project had been cancelled to "honour the sentiments, religion and culture of the Sikkimese people", even though Rs 20 crore had been spent on it.
The SIBLAC and the monks of the Pemayangtse monastery in West Sikkim registered their opposition during a public hearing conducted by the state pollution control board on Thursday. The monks in their memorandum to the board said the river on which the 96MW hydel project was being developed was the most sacred in Sikkim. "Any power project over the sacred Rathong Chu river was considered a closed chapter after the Rathong Chu hydel power project was scrapped by the chief minister in 1997. Now again, for some reason, the state government has signed an agreement with a private developer to construct a 96MW project over the same river. They have deliberately kept the name of the project 'Lethang' to mislead the people", said SIBLAC convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia. His allegation was that usually a project was named after a river, but not in this case. Few people are aware that the Lethang project is the one on the Rathong Chu, a tributary of the Rangeet. Bhutia claimed that under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which was extended to Sikkim in 1998, Rathong Chu at 5,700ft is a sacred river.
In his petition to Chamling, the SIBLAC convenor also highlighted the recommendations of the one-man committee of P. S. Ramakrishnan of Jawaharlal Nehru University. The panel report to the state government in 1995 had recommended the scrapping of the project on Rathong Chu, saying the stretch from Mount Kanchenjungha to the Yuksam lowlands is the most appropriate to be declared a national heritage site. "The point is that no expenditure has been incurred so far for the Lethang project and it can be closed", said Bhutia.
Officials of the pollution control board said the SIBLAC and the monks’ submissions at the hearing would be put on record. "The project developer and the district collector concerned will have to reply to these contentions", a board official said.
Sikkim Minorities denounce Land Reform Bill
A Committee representing the minority communities of Sikkim Thursday criticised the passage of a controversial land reform bill that does away with an old law, terming it a "threat" to Sikkimese people.
The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) described the passage of the Sikkim Regulation of Transfer of Land Bill 2005 in the state legislature as "murder of democracy". SIBLAC members, Tseten Tashi Bhutia and Kunga Nima Lepcha, both Congress leaders, told: "This violates the basic tenets of the Indian constitution and we are consulting our lawyers on how to proceed legally."
Ruling Sikkim Democratic Front spokesperson B. B. Gooroong has denied these allegations.
The land bill will does away with the old laws of Sikkim which are protected by Article 371F of the Indian constitution. The article embodies the contents of the May 8th Agreement that merged Sikkim with India in 1975. The provision of the article says that old laws of Sikkim like Revenue Order No. 1, which protects lands of Sikkimese Bhutia and Lepcha from being sold to members of any other community, stands guaranteed.
Acharya Tshering Lama, the lone Congress legislator told that he was not allowed to speak in the assembly. "They told me that being the lone Congress MLA we have allowed you to speak once and that is more than enough. Then they simply passed the bill", Lama alleged.
Anil Lachenpa, an important social worker and activist from North District of Sikkim, told : "The law says it will be applicable all over Sikkim anyone can buy land anywhere in the state, but this goes against all existing laws and the constitution. Let alone buy land in North Sikkim, any Sikkimese from any other district needs special permission to even enter North Sikkim areas like Dzongu for a few hours. Where is the question of buying land?"
Meanwhile, the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has in a press release "strongly condemned the undemocratic, unconstitutional and indifferent attitude shown to the Sangha member of legislature".
SIBLAC has said that the bill is a "direct threat to the minority Bhutia-Lepcha communities and to all Sikkimese people as a whole".
Speaking to the media Thursday, B. B. Gooroong, media advisor to Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said Lama had been given adequate time to raise his points Wednesday. "He was present throughout the debate and the bill was passed by a majority vote in the assembly", Gooroong said. The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front of which Chamling is the leader had 31 seats in the 32 seat state legislature.
SIBLAC pressed to issue Sikkimese political Identity
At the end of its current official visit to the national capital New Delhi, the SIBLAC Convenor Mr. Tseten Tashi Bhutia addressed a Press Conference at New Delhi, wherein he reiterated with the Indian Government to restore the political rights of the Sikkimese Nepalese under Article 371 F of the Indian Constitution.
SIBLAC urges for inclusion of Bhutia, Lepcha, Limbu languages in NIOS
The SIBLAC has submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal demanding inclusion of Sikkimese Bhutia, Lepcha and Limbu languages in the curricula of the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) as well as ICSE.
A release issued here yesterday by the SIBLAC said in the best interest of the aspiring students of Sikkim and the adjacent Himalayan region, the Indian education system should be made more practical and accessible for the people of this region.
The organisation, in their memorandum, mentioned that the Sikkimese Bhutia, Lepcha and Limbu languages are the recognised official tribal languages of the state.
"All the three languages have their own well developed scriptures and grammar with considerable progression in their respective art and literature fields. These languages are incorporated in all the academic curricula/syllabus of the Central Board of Secondary School (CBSE)'s Class X and Class XII books, and are also included and taught upto the Degree level programme of the Sikkim University", the memorandum stated.
The organisation has demanded that these languages should be immediately recognised and incorporated in the Class X and Class XII curriculum and syllabus of the NIOS, Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE) and in all the Jawahar Nabodaya Vidhalaya Institutes operating in Sikkim from their academic sessions 2011.
Letter to Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Ministry of Environment & Forests
SIBLAC submitted a memorandum to Jairam Ramesh, Ministry of Environment and Forest regarding Haphazard Mega Hydel Power Projects in Sikkim vis-à-vis systematic genocide of Sikkimese identity. The SIBLAC Release mentions it as very strange and disgusting that despite popular rejections and protest against most of the haphazard mega hydel-power projects in Sikkim that has posed immense threat to local environment, demography, National Security and geography, the union Ministry is simply acting like a mute spectator. These mega hydel projects particularly in the Dzongu area where alone more than six mega projects are either being cleared or under the process of commissioning as against the mere indigenous and vanishing tribal population of 6000 is beyond imagination.
The organization has in it's release also alleged that the Ministry, without verifying the ground realities and recommendations of reputed national environmentalists and institutes, accords go ahead to all and sundry in Sikkim. Bhutia in his memorandum has urged the Ministry that development is an important factor, but should not and must not be at the very cost of one's identity and survival.
SIBLAC approaches Himachal Chief Minister Dhumal for upkeep of Tso-Pema
The SIBLAC delegation led by its convenor Mr. Tseten Tashi Bhutia today approached the Hon’ble Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal at Himachal Bhawan, New Delhi, and raised matters pertaining to the upkeep of the Rewalsar Lake alias Tso Pema and its sanctity vide submission of a Memorandum.
Letter to Ambika Soni, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
In a Letter to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, SIBLAC Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia complains about the lack of native Bhutia and Lepcha staff for the respective services of All India Radio (Gangtok). Ms. Ambika Soni, Union Minister MIB, is invited to take appropriate steps in order to provide more and qualified manpower for the Bhutia and Lepcha language programmes of AIR.
SIBLAC urges for Inclusion of Bhutia, Lepcha, Limbu Languages in NIOS
SIBLAC has submitted a memorandum to Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal demanding inclusion of Sikkimese Bhutia, Lepcha and Limbu languages in the curricula of the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) as well as the ICSE.
A release issued by SIBLAC said in the best interest of the aspiring students of Sikkim and the adjacent Himalayan region, the Indian education system should be made more practical and accessible for the people of this region.
The organisation, in their memorandum, has mentioned that the Sikkimese Bhutia, Lepcha and Limbu languages are the recognised official tribal languages of the state.
"All the three languages have their own well-developed scriptures and grammar with considerable progression in their respective art and literature. These languages are incorporated in all the academic curricula/syllabus of the Central Board of Secondary School (CBSE)'s Class X and Class XII, and are also included and taught up to the degree level programme of the Sikkim University", the memorandum stated.
The organisation has demanded that these languages should be immediately recognised and incorporated in the Class X and Class XII curriculum and syllabus of the NIOS, Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE) and in all the Jawahar Nabodaya Vidhalaya Institutes operating in Sikkim from their academic sessions 2011.
–> Documentation: SIBLAC Letter to Ambika Soni - June 24, 2010
–> Documentation: SIBLAC Letter to Kapil Sibal - June 24, 2010
SIBLAC, NASBO bodies call on UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi
A group of BL Organisations including the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO 371F), Denjong Chyarig Tsogpa, led by the SIBLAC Convenor Mr. Tseten Tashi Bhutia called on the UPA Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi on June 12, 2010 at 12.10 noon, Saturday.
The delegation led by Mr. Tseten Tashi Bhutia offered traditional Khadas and a Thangka depicting Mahaguru Padmasambhava. She was explained about the significance of the Thangka and its presentation at this particular age of difficulty. The delegation also took the opportunity to discuss on various subjects pertaining to Sikkim followed by Ms. Gandhi’s few gracious words of advice.
The meeting, necessarily a regular exercise and a courtesy call that went for about 20 minutes, concluded with Ms. Gandhi’s pointed observation on some of the matters discussed. The delegation also congratulated Ms. Gandhi on her assuming the office of the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council and expressed their gratitude for incorporating the tribal development as an area of emphasis. The meeting was coordinated by Mr. Sonam Kaloen, President of NASBO.
Letter to the Directorate Census Operations, Sikkim
Highlighting the distinct political identity awarded to the Bhutia Lepcha (BL) community of Sikkimese origin by Article 371F of the Indian Constitution which had beend endorsed by the Supreme Court, the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) in a Letter to the Directorate of Census Operations demands recognition of the two communities as a separate constitutional category unlike the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.