SIKKIM OBSERVER Dec 17-23, 2011

Editorial

DEATH & NEGLIGENCE

Expedite Road Construction Work

Six tourists died  in North Sikkim in a road accident which could have been avoided. The recent earthquake and the sluggish pace of road widening work on the North Sikkim Highway (NSH) by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has forced the people to avoid traveling on this route. The only option to reach the tribal-dominated region of North Sikkim, perhaps the most attractive tourist destination in the State, is take the alternate route through Dikchu. The victims of Tuesday night’s car accident were taking the short cut route via Dikchu from Mangan, headquarters of North Sikkim, to reach Siliguri. Had they taken the usual NSH route their death could have been avoided.

Even after the intervention of the High Court of Sikkim road construction work all over Sikkim has not improved. While clearance of land acquisition files and adequate funds for construction and maintenance of roads in the State may have hampered the work there is the need for proper supervision and efficient execution of jobs at hand on the highways and other roads in the State. The State Government, Opposition parties, NGOs and the people in general must put more pressure on the concerned authorities before the next Monsoon sets in.

‘SAVE SIKKIM’ CRY

May  Lead To ‘Sikkim Bachao Andolan’

Anti-mega dam protesters in Sikkim are joining hands and becoming more active and assertive than ever before. Already several non-political organizations have formed a joint action platform to pressurize the authorities to scrap several hydel projects in the State, including those that are connected to the holy Rathongchu River in West Sikkim. If the authorities think that the Rathongchu controversy is confined to the indigenous Bhutia-Lepcha tribals they are mistaken. Unlike before the Buddhist community in Sikkim is growing. The Gurungs (Tamu) and Tamangs among the majority  Nepali community  are discovering their Buddhist roots and taking active part in preservation of their cultural heritage. A section of the Limbus also profess Buddhism. Other major Buddhist communities in Sikkim include Tibetans, Sherpas and Chumbipas. It is only a matter of time when they join hands with the Bhutia-Lepchas to preserve their distinct identity.

So far Opposition parties have kept themselves aloof from the anti-dam agitation in the State. However, they have taken their own stand and method in protesting against mega hydel projects in the State. There is, however, a distinct possibility of the ‘Save Sikkim’ campaign on big dams turning into a bigger ‘Sikkim Bachao Andolan’ that would also include issues related to mega hydropower projects in Sikkim. Ram Chandra Poudyal’s eagerness to unite the Opposition to make the anti-Chamling agitation more effective has come at a time when social organisations are almost ready to come out in the open opposing the Chamling Government if it is adamant in going ahead with more than 30 projects in sacred Sikkim.