Teesta fast on till CM returns- Act receives support from across country
Gangtok, July 3: Protesters under the banner of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) will complete two weeks of hunger strike tomorrow.
The fasting ACT members are demanding that all mega hydroelectricity projects, coming up in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu in North Sikkim, be scrapped and the government review all other projects in the state.
Despite several appeals by the government and two meeting with senior functionaries, the fasting youths are not willing to give up so soon until their goals are fulfilled. They hope to hold out for a few more days and let Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling return from his tour before taking a decision.
Those on the fast have been bolstered by support not only from within their community in Dzongu, but from across the country.
Yesterday, 20-year-old Tenzing Lepcha and Chimi Lepcha were admitted to Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital here on the recommendations of doctors who have been checking them everyday. ACT president Dawa Lepcha, who was also admitted to the hospital but carried on his fast there, has since then returned to B.L. House on Sonam Gyatso Marg, the venue of the hunger strike to continue his protest. Today ACT member Nimkit Lepcha joined the fast replacing Renjyong Lepcha, who had been fasting for several days.
