CHOWO Rabjor is an angry man. His efforts
to stop the mega Teesta hydel project in his village have
not produced the desired results. As the chief of the Lachen
Dzumsa (traditional assembly of the people), he enjoys the
support of the majority of the Lachenpas on the issue. However,
he realises how difficult things could be if the state government
does not give much-needed support.
Earlier this month, Rabjor and Goekay Lachenpa reiterated
their objection to the implementation of the Teesta Stage-1
Hydro-electric power project in Lachen valley in north Sikkim.
In a letter to the Himalayan Green Hydro Energy Pvt Ltd, which
is handling Stage -1 of the project, the chief stated that
the people of Lachen were ready to “sacrifice”
their “lives” to “protect our land, forests,
age-old tradition and places of worship.”
The chief even threatened to resort to “extreme measures”
to protect their cultural and natural heritage, which, the
people allege, are now facing the danger of being wiped out.
The elected heads of the Dzumsa took a dig at the state government,
who it accuses of being “determined to proceed with
the project, much against the will of the people”. Strong
words indeed, but will the hardy highlanders of north Sikkim
be able to stand up to the pressures of the powers-that-be
when their resolution is under severe test?
Twenty years ago, the tribals of Lachen and Lachung valleys
of north Sikkim were held in high esteem by other members
of their community. They marvelled at their unity, fraternity
and the manner in which they preserved their rich and unique
cultural heritage.
However, over the years the brave and proud Lachenpas as well
as the Lachungpas gradually lost their high ground even as
they got influenced by petty politicians who were using them
to further their political and financial interests. As a result,
many people in Sikkim now do not want to be associated with
them. “Of late, the Lachenpas have to some extent regained
their past status but many tribals in our area are still mesmerised
by money power,” said a politician from north Sikkim.
Ten years back, the tribals of Sikkim unitedly opposed the
30-MW Rathongchu hydel project in west Sikkim on the same
grounds and forced the Pawan Chamling government to abandon
the controversial project midway. This was during Chamling’s
first tenure when he had the full support of the tribals.
Now that support base has dwindled.
The Rathongchu issue, which rocked the state, was followed
by the Gurudongmar controversy. Gurudongmar Lake, situated
at 17,200 feet on the Indo-Tibet border in Lachen, is not
only one of the hottest tourist destinations but is also considered
to be a major Buddhist pilgrimage centre. In the eighth century,
Guru Rinpoche (Lord Padmasambava), who established Buddhism
in Tibet and in the Himalayan region, including Sikkim, visited
this lake and blessed it.
In the 1990s, some overzealous army officers turned the lake
into a Sikh pilgrimage centre and built a gurdwara much against
the sentiments of the local people, particularly the Lachenpas.
The unfortunate incident forced the then Lachen chief, the
late Anung Lachenpa, to issue an open statement threatening
to take appropriate action against those who desecrated the
sanctity” of the holy lake. The chief also urged the
state government to restore the “original look and sanctity”
of the lake.
Green Circle, a local NGO, sided with the Lachenpas and took
an open stand. While reacting against the Army’s “blatant
undermining of local culture and total disregard for a fragile
and threatened ecosystem”, the NGO said, “The
Army, because of its proximity and influence over these areas,
cannot go about misrepresenting facts. Such gradual and systematic
distortion of history only sows the seeds of discontent and
tension for the present and future generations.”
Though the Chamling government initially dithered on the issue
it finally forced the Army to retract. A high-level committee
was set up to look into the matter and as a result the Army
was asked to respect local sentiments and remove the gurdwara.
Faced with a hostile populace in a sensitive border area,
the Army beat a hasty retreat.
Another row erupted in mid-2000, when a 10-member Austrian
team, led by Wilhelm Bauer, came to Sikkim to scale Kanchenjunga
from its northeastern face along the Zemu glacier in Lachen.
The locals, particularly Buddhist Bhutia-Lepcha tribals, opposed
the expedition on religious ground, stating that the mountain
was the abode of their sacred guardian deity.
Because of its sacredness, the Chogyals of Sikkim never allowed
the summit to be scaled. In view of the sentiments expressed
by the locals, the Chamling government ordered the Austrian
team to leave the last 10 metres of the peak untouched. The
team, unfortunately, had to abandon the expedition midway
due to inclement weather when they reached an altitude of
over 6,000 metres. The locals thanked the mountain gods for
listening to their prayers! Kanchenjunga, according to reports,
may now be recognised as a World Heritage Site by Unesco.
Tribals in the North-east hills do not need a lesson on environment;
they worship nature.
Reports indicate that while Zemu glacier is receding by 28
metres every year, Kangsay glacier, the source of the Teesta,
is retreating by eight metres every year. The Teesta, Sikkim’s
biggest river, actually begins from Tso-Lhamu Lake, located
north of Gurudongmar. Though the Lachenpas have won several
battles on sensitive issues they are now faced with a greater
danger to their ecology — global warming.
These battles have to be fought on higher ground and on a
global scale. Meanwhile, what is the Lachen chief’s
reaction to the present situation. Chowo Rabjor, a staunch
supporter of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, says, “We
supported Chamling and the ruling party when they needed us;
now it is their turn to support us.” Easy words but
hard to digest, particularly when it involves big shots and
lots of money. |
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