ACT demands dissolution of the Coordination committee

Gangtok, Apr 18 (UNI) The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) in North Sikkim, has demanded the dissolution of the Coordination Committee set up by the state government for facilitating the implementation of the projects.

ACT Chief Coordinator Tseten Lepcha in a letter to the Committee said the committee should be dissolved soon as it failed to address the apprehensions of the people.

Mr Lepcha alleged that the Coordination Committee had never bothered to listen to the grievances of the people let alone do anything for their future.

The copies of the letter was also sent to the Governor and Chief Secretary.

The committee was constituted last year under the chairmanship of cabinet minister H Lachungpa to address the grievances, resolve issues related to properties, promote direct and indirect employment and to ascertain amicable solutions to the local people afftected by the construction of hydro power projects in the state.

''The committee had even failed to make a symbolic effort to safeguard the basic rights of the indigeneous people of the area,'' Mr Lepcha said.

ACT also had demanded immediate cancellation of land acquisitions notices, stop efforts to acquire land and ensure to protect the ethnic culture and rights of the people.

UNI