Sikkim Opposition Parties urge govt to address Dzongu Issue of ACT

GANGTOK, July 31: After completion of 42 days on the continuous hunger strike and Satyagraha called by Affected Citizen of Teesta (ACT) protesting against hydroelectric power project coming up at Dzongu in North Sikkim today four major political parties demanded that the government should immediately solve the problem. All four political parties Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC), Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP), state BJP unit and CPIM held a meeting in this regard. “We had formed Joint Action Committee (JAC) for the immediate solution of the problem faced by the ACT members” said Mr. Kunga Nima Lepcha a spokes person from SPCC. ”Two members of ACT are seriously admitted in STNM hospital for the last two week but government is just giving damn to them” Mr. Lepcha added. “We were silent from the beginning thinking not to interfere in this cause which could turned out to be political issue but today we are compelled to do so beacuse government still fails to solve the issue after 42 days also,” said Mr. HR Pradhan president state BJP unit. “Instead of solving the issue government threat the strikers to take legal action, which shows the murder of democracy in Sikkim” Mr. Pradhan added. “They are doing this Satyagraha in very peaceful manner so on which doesn’t means state government to be mum,” Mr. Pradhan said. However, in this regard all the parties had send letters to Union Ministry for Forest & Environment, Power and the Prime Minister too personally, so they are still waiting for the response. They have also send letter to chief minister of the state today to solve the problems immediately. “The Satyagraha had completed 42 days which is the longest ever Satyagraha made in the state to witnessed, that wrote in the history of Sikkim with stalemate decision by the government” reads a letter to the CM made by JAC. ”Two Satyagrahis are in serious conditions admitted in hospital but the government is not concern for their precious life and for the primitive tribes of the state” letter added. “We had even met the state Governor Mr. V Rama Rao who was also in favor of the project instead of the mass public” said Mr. Tara Shresta general secretary of SHRP. ”The favouring of the governor for the projects shows that even governor must have some share in that projects” he alleged. “If the problems could not solve within two days than we’ll involve all the NGO’s associations for the mass movement” Mr. Tara said. “We will also have meeting tomorrow which will follows the other series of meeting further to immediate solve the problems if it could not solve by the government,” said Mr. Lepcha. Meanwhile, two Satyagrahis Mr. Dawa Lepcha and Tenzing Lepcha who are admitted in the STNM hospitals are in serious conditions and health of these two people is deteriorating due to the continuous long hunger strike. The state government refused to comment on the issue as it favours the project.