All India Lepcha Association Supports Hydel Projects if Protection Guaranteed by Government of Sikkim
Gangtok: Gyakar Jumbuling Rong Shezum ( The All India Lepcha Association) in a communique to press issued on August 07,2007 has supported the development of Panan Hydel Project as being one of the national importance and extended its conditional support by stressing that the responsibilities to protect the rights ,culture,traditions and identity of the Dzongu Lepchas had to be shouldered and delivered by State Government and the project developers.
"Rights of a protected area,economic development of locals,responsibility towards the nation's necessities were the demands of the present day and age".
The Shezum states that keeping all these in minds,it has appealed to both sides of the debate on Dzongu hydel issue to come together to discuss and formalize a workable solution which mutually beneficial to all on issues on preservation and progress.
The decision, the release issued by the Shezum's general Secretary Passang T.Lepcha was taken at a meeting held on August 06,2007 after an observation team of the Association submitted the report of its fact-finding mission visit to Dzongu on August3 &4,2007.
The association resolved that the primitive lepchas of Sikkim have the right to protect their identity while also recognising that some infrastructure development projects were essential and need to be supported.
the press release also mentions that the Shezum delegates visiting the Dzongu recorded that the Dzongu residents are not unduly worried aboutthe impact of the hydel projects.
