Staff Reporter
GANGTOK, September 3: The 510 MW NHPC Teesta Stage V management has been given three months deadline by the State government to arrive at a conclusion over the ‘grade re-designation’ demand placed by the local W-0 workers.
Fifty three persons from families who have given their lands for the mega power project at Balutar, 42 kms away from Gangtok, had been recruited by NHPC in 2004 under the W-0 grade under the resettlement plan.
Contending that they have been given the lowest grade irrespective of their educational qualifications and assurances under the rehabilitation plan, the workers had switched to protest mode on August 31 which led to an intervention from the East district administration.
“The NHPC Teesta Stage V management has sought three months time to place the workers’ demands before their higher authorities. The management has also not given any commitment but we have explicitly told them not to dilly-dally any further. We have told them to come to a concrete decision within three months as the workers have come to a strike mode”, said district collector (East) D Anandan to reporters after a 90 minutes meeting with NHPC authorities, workers and representatives from All Sikkim Democratic Labour Front (ASDLF), the frontal organization of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front party.
The NHPC Teesta Stage V side was represented by executive director D Parija and chief engineer in-charge D Chattopadhya during the meeting held here at the chamber of East district collector.
Expressing his hopes that the NHPC will come to positive conclusion within three months time, the district collector said: “If there is a yes, then it is good but if there is a no, we will see other courses of action available with the State government”
During the meeting, the NHPC authorities had argued that under the rehabilitation and relief plan for project affected families approved by both NHPC and Sikkim government in 2001, the land oustees were supposed to be directly appointed under W-0 grade with provisions for promotion as per qualifications in later stages.
“But we said no. The people under rehabilitation and relief plan should have been directly appointed to suitable posts like clerks as per qualifications and others should be given training for technical posts like plumbers, mechanics, welders and drivers. This was not done by the NHPC”, said Anandan.
Regarding to the assertions of NHPC Stage V management that the recruitment policy is uniform for all NHPC projects, the district administration pointed out to them that the workers in question are special category people who have given up their lands for the project and the agreement is with Sikkim government.
During the meeting which was also attended by SP (East) Mandeep Singh Tuli and Sikkim Power Development Corporation managing director, the district administration highlighted to the workers that the State government and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling is aware of their grievances. We told them that State government has directed the district administration to find an amicable solution, said Anandan.
Both the aggrieved workers and ASDFL have expressed their hopes of a positive solution from the NHPC after the given period of three months.
The ASDLF general secretary Norzang Lepcha told media that the meeting was positive. “We are hopeful of a solution. The NHPC must remove the W-0 grade within three months and we are fully behind the workers”, he said.
Representing the W-0 workers, Sangram S Basnett and Zigmee Yonzon said that the workers remain hopeful for a positive decision from the NHPC after three months.
“The meeting was positive. Initially the NHPC officials were not showing much interest but when the district administration raised the issue strongly, they asked for three months time. We are hopeful and the pressure is on NHPC to do something. If they don’t do, we will definitely fight for our rights”, said Basnet.
Basnett had taken a mechanical degree from Madras in 1988 and was recruited under the rehabilitation plan by NHPC in 2004 as a helper under ‘W-0’ grade. He is presently working as an in-charge of the NHPC guest house with a gross monthly salary of around Rs. 14000.
The in-charge post is of a supervisor level but I am functioning that responsibility while getting the salary of a W-0 worker, said Basnett.
“I took the helper post under W-0 grade in 2004 when it was offered to me under the rehabilitation plan. I was assured that I will be given promotion in due course of time due to my engineering degree”, Basnett said.
Similarly, Zigmee Yonzon had taken the post of helper under W-0 grade in 2004. At that time, he was already a science graduate and later in 2005, acquired a postgraduate degree through distance education.
“I was new and not much aware of NHPC when I was straightway appointed as a helper. I was also assured at the time of appointment that I will be promoted to higher posts”, said Yonzon.
Among the 53 workers under W-0 grade, two are post-graduates, one is mechanical engineer and two are graduates. Others are either metric pass or have low education.

Meeting minutes
Who attended: NHPC Teesta Stage V, workers, DC, SP, ASDLF and SPDC managing director
What was decided: NHPC Teesta V to place workers’ demand to higher authorities and to get back to district administration within 3 months time
Decision to be given: Yes or No to the workers demand
If Yes: Everyone satisfied
‘No’ scenario: State government to look into other courses of action, workers and ASDLF to launch an immediate strike in the 510 MW power plant

SE Report
GANGTOK, September 3: Sikkim University vice-chancellor Prof Mahendra P Lama has been nominated in the India-United Kingdom Higher Education Leadership Development Programme, informs a university release.
The Indian delegation comprising of 15 vice-chancellors from different parts of the country will be visiting London from September 6 to 10 and will interact with a large number of heads and presidents of the universities in United Kingdom, adds the release.
Prof Lama has also been nominated to the council of Union government’s think tank, Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA). The council is the apex executive body of ICWA and is headed by Vice President of the country. There are three vice presidents in the ICWA- Minister of External Affairs, Chairperson of Parliamentary Standing Committee of Ministry of External Affairs and Former Union Minister Jagmohan Malhotra.
Other members of ICWA are senior MPs including TR Baalu, Janardan Tiwari, Shri Shanta Kumar and Sitaram Yechury.

SE Report
GANGTOK, September 3: The new Sri Sathya Sai Mandir at Pabyuk Naitam in East Sikkim was inaugurated on the auspicious occasion of Janmasthami by local resident Raja Rai.
Rai had donated his land for the construction of the Sai temple in the village.
Construction works for the temple had started from April 2009 at a cost of Rs. 1.5 lakhs. Donations from individuals and financial assistance of Rs. 36,000 from the State government had helped in the construction of the temple.
The programme also saw the felicitation of Rai by the SAi Mandali.
On his part, Rai said that he just happened to inherit the land for which he is thankful to his parents who even after their death made possible to contribute to the village for a social cause. He said that anybody would be more than happy to contribute something for society, adding that his family got an opportunity to do the same.
Naitam Sai Mandali treasurer Nakul Rai said that Sai mandir is a result of the aspirations of local people to serve the society. The Sai Mandali through Bal Bikash seeks to steer away youth from negative aspects and help them to become responsible citizens, he said.
The Mandali members expressed their hopes that the State government would consider further upgradation of the mandir and construct the approach road need for the temple.
Earlier the inauguration programme started with a welcome speech by Naitam Sai Mandali convener Robin Rai.
Namcheybong MLA BB Rai, who hails from Pabyuk Naitam, attended the programme as the guest of honour. He expressed his happiness to see the people of his village coming forward for a better cause.
The programme also saw a religious discourse delivered by Nehru Yuva Kendra regional director JK Limboo while East District Sri Sai Sathya Service co-ordinator Prem Chung Lepcha gave a talk on ‘Sarva Dharma Ekayon’ and ‘Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Boudh Dharma”.
South District Sri Sathya Sai Bhajan convener KS Rai expressed his happiness in the successful creation of the mandir and thanked Raja Rai and his family for donating a land.
The inaugural function was attended by the locals, public of surrounding areas, members of various organizations and panchayat members.