To
Shri Jairam Ramesh Ji
Hon’ble Minister for Environment & Forest
Government of India
New Delhi.

Sub:Expression of Gratitude and request to Scrap the 99 MW Ting-Ting Hydro Power Project and 97 MW Tashiding Hydro Power Project proposed on the same sacred river of Rathong Chu.

Respected Sir,

It gives us much satisfaction that reaffirms our faith on the Indian Constitution when the Union Environment & Forest Ministry under your dynamic guidance positively and most promptly responded to the representation of the Sikkimese Buddhist people and accordingly rejected the proposed 96MW Lethang Hydro Power Project at Yuksam, West Sikkim on October 13th, 2010. This mega project was proposed over River Rathong Chu, a sacred river to the Sikkimese people as already elaborated in our previous memorandum to your kind honour. It is pertinent to mention here that the Sikkim Chief Minister Shri Pawan Chamling scrapped the earlier Rathong Chu Power Project proposed on the same Rathong Chu in 1997 respecting the religious sentiment of the Sikkimese Buddhist people.

However, we still look forward for the scrapping of two more other mega projects viz. i.e. The 99 MW Ting Ting Hydro Power Project and 97 MW Tashiding Hydro Power Project proposed on the same sacred river of Rathong Chu. Off-late, Sikkim with a mere geographical extension of about 7096 Sq-km. has seen about more than thirty haphazard mega hydro-power projects out of which these three are most detrimental to our Sikkimese Buddhist Lineage and its century old religious sanctity. Though we are not averse to infrastructural and economic development, the same cannot be realised at the very cost of our heritage, lineage and religion.

The preservation of our Sikkimese Buddhist lineage and its sacredness depends completely on your exercises.

Under the circumstances, while expressing our most indebt gratitude for this incredible and daring exercise to you, we look forward that your wisdom would definitely lead towards scrapping of the above mentioned two other projects viz i.e. 96 MW Ting Ting Hydro Power Project and 97 MW Tashiding Hydro Power Project proposed on the same sacred river and environment of Rathong Chu.

Lastly, we wish you and your family members a happy Dushhera, epitome of victory of good over evil.

Tseten Tashi Bhutia
Convener
Dated: Oct 15, 2010

 

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