ACT, Save Sikkim reiterates anti-dam stance

PRITAM LAMA

GEYZING,: Members of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) and Save Sikkim jointly organised an awareness rally carrying placards at the banks of river Kalej to mark International Day of Action for Rivers today.

The rally organised by Save Sikkim, the West Sikkim based organisation in collaboration with Dzongu, North Sikkim-based ACT with the theme with ‘No more dams in Sikkim,’ culminated at Shrithang under Geyzing-OmchungGPU.

The day is celebrated across the world as the day dedicated for action for rivers.

The ACT has been spearheading movement against the construction of big dams in theState from the past 16 years and Save Sikkim has been raising the concern on mega hydro power projects along the sacred river Rathong Chu in West Sikkim.

The event was attended by zillapanchayat RoshanKhatiwda, ward panchayatBishnuThapa, president of both the organisations and Dup Tshering Lepcha,the president of RenzyongTarlom.

Various discussions pertaining to the ecological imbalances caused by developing hydro power projects and dams were held.

River Kalej originates from above Uttarey near the Indo-Nepal border via Dentam and merges with Rangit river at Legship.

Speaking at the event, Prabhu Ram Kharka, a member of Save Sikkim, said, “As we all know, theprevious government constructed hydro power projects in most of the rivers in the State.Our motive is to keep rest of the rivers safe and natural. We hope that the present State government is positive on this and would support us to save the environment.”

Save Sikkim president Yapchung Bhutia thanked the ACT members for visiting West Sikkim. “Our aim is to make people aware of negative impact of ecological imbalances through constructing dams,” he added.

Ward panchayat Vishnu Thapa lauded the initiatives of Affected Citizens of Teesta and Save Sikkim.

ACT general secretary Gyatsho Lepcha said there are more than the required numbers of dams in the State. “Our rivers are not for sale,” he said appealing that the building of dams be stopped on the rivers now.

The programmealso passeda resolution requesting the State government not to build further dams in Sikkim and also reiterated the demand of scrapping the Teesta Stage-IV project and Tashiding HEP.