ALLEGATIONS & COUNTER-ALLEGATIONS ON HYDRO ISSUE
GANGTOK: Three affected persons from the 510-MW Teesta Stage V sitting the on-going Satyagraha and indefinite hunger strike initiated by Affected Citizen of Teesta (ACT) here have strongly objected to the comments made against them alleging that they were not genuine affected locals from Teesta Stage V project area.
The comments, which appeared in yesterday’s issue of SIKKIM EXPRESS (July 5, 2007), in the Letter to the Editor column, were made by DK Regmi, DN Gautam
Khardar Thapa, Chun Bahadur Thapa, Dhan Bir Subba and Pushpa Raj Adhikari of Rakdong Tintek Constituency under which major portions of the Teesta Stage V projects falls, alleged that the three persons from the area who had joined the hunger strike were not even remotely affected by the said project and that their case was not genuine.
Ratna Bahadur Gautam (53) from Lower Raley under Rakdong Tintek Constituency along with Khemlal Gautam (60) had joined the protestors on the hunger strike at the BL House here on July 3, making them the first ones from outside of Dzongu to take part in the hunger strike.
Refuting the allegations, Ratna Bahadur, a physically challenged farmer, said that there was enough documented proof that he, along with three others, were indeed affected persons from the Teesta Stage V power project. “Our ancestral land, on which we still farm, has been severely affected by the tunnelling process. The head-race tunnel of the Project runs directly along our land. In the past one year, the continuous blasting and drilling inside the hill have badly affected our agricultural land and our houses. Severe cracks have developed in the land and our houses. The earth has caved in at several places and completely rendered the land useless for farming,” Ratna Bahadur said.
“The extensive tunnelling has dried up all our water sources. This is affecting our farming practises. We have photographs to prove our case,” he said.
The two Satyagrahis say that several complaints have been made in the past to the DC East’s Office and the NHPC. “Three times our land was surveyed and report prepared. But we are yet to hear of any mitigation measures. We have come and joined this hunger strike in spite of our own personal problems. This is tilling and sowing time. But we have come here to show our support to our brothers from North, in the hope that they will not suffer like us,” Ratna Bahdur said.
“If we are fake and our problem not genuine, let the accusers prove it. We are ready to face any test or trail,” Khemlal Gautam said.
The comments, which appeared in yesterday’s issue of SIKKIM EXPRESS (July 5, 2007), in the Letter to the Editor column, were made by DK Regmi, DN Gautam
Khardar Thapa, Chun Bahadur Thapa, Dhan Bir Subba and Pushpa Raj Adhikari of Rakdong Tintek Constituency under which major portions of the Teesta Stage V projects falls, alleged that the three persons from the area who had joined the hunger strike were not even remotely affected by the said project and that their case was not genuine.
Ratna Bahadur Gautam (53) from Lower Raley under Rakdong Tintek Constituency along with Khemlal Gautam (60) had joined the protestors on the hunger strike at the BL House here on July 3, making them the first ones from outside of Dzongu to take part in the hunger strike.
Refuting the allegations, Ratna Bahadur, a physically challenged farmer, said that there was enough documented proof that he, along with three others, were indeed affected persons from the Teesta Stage V power project. “Our ancestral land, on which we still farm, has been severely affected by the tunnelling process. The head-race tunnel of the Project runs directly along our land. In the past one year, the continuous blasting and drilling inside the hill have badly affected our agricultural land and our houses. Severe cracks have developed in the land and our houses. The earth has caved in at several places and completely rendered the land useless for farming,” Ratna Bahadur said.
“The extensive tunnelling has dried up all our water sources. This is affecting our farming practises. We have photographs to prove our case,” he said.
The two Satyagrahis say that several complaints have been made in the past to the DC East’s Office and the NHPC. “Three times our land was surveyed and report prepared. But we are yet to hear of any mitigation measures. We have come and joined this hunger strike in spite of our own personal problems. This is tilling and sowing time. But we have come here to show our support to our brothers from North, in the hope that they will not suffer like us,” Ratna Bahdur said.
“If we are fake and our problem not genuine, let the accusers prove it. We are ready to face any test or trail,” Khemlal Gautam said.
(sikkim express)
