Sreelatha Menon: A cow`s leg for tribals

An environment impact assessment report on a hydel project in Dzongu, the holy land of the Lepchas, overlooks the fact that it is banned to the outside world and falls in a biosphere reserve.

What has chastity of women, belief in spirits and gifting of a cow’s leg in marriages got to do with hydel power? One needs a consultant to give an answer.

Check this out. This is from an environment impact assessment report commissioned by a company called Teesta Urja Limited and prepared by consultants Wapcos Centre for Environment.

The consultants were asked to assess the impact that a 1,200-Mw hydel power project on Teesta river, called Teesta 3, would have on Dzongu, the ancient settlement of the Lepcha tribals in North Sikkim. The Ministry of Environment Ministry’s approval to the project depends on this report.

“Lepchas are animists (having clans named after animals, wherein they worship animals) and believe in many gods and spirits of land, water and trees.’’

The consultants definitely were confused about animism and just stopped of calling Lepchas a species of animals who could not write a consultancy report in English like them.

Teesta 3 is one of the 26-odd hydel projects for which the Sikkim government has signed agreements with sundry private companies.

About 60 per cent of Teesta 3 involves work in the holy land of Lepchas, the mountains of Dzongu.

The Lepcha youth, those who had the benefit of an English education and had transcended the “animal” existence attributed to them by the consultants, found this report hard to take. Already aggrieved by handing over of their mountains to the hydel power companies, they protested with a letter, which of course yielded no reply.

The report gives cultural details unsubstantiated by the authors and smacks of voyeurism. It says: “Among Lepchas, marriages are solemnized with the boy’s parents offering two cows, a pig, 12 chicken and a mun jad (liquor)…In the bride price, jewelery, land, cloth and a right leg of a cow is offered.”

Of course, the report’s obsession with cows matches only that of the RSS and it adds: “Gifting a leg of a cow may not be liked by their Hindu counterparts and this (?) may create discontent among the people.”

The report skips the essential fact that Dzongu is a place banned to the outside world by the government of Sikkim in order to protect the shy Lepchas and their cultural identity. It also skips the fact that it is a world heritage site and falls in the Kanchendzonga biosphere reserve and national park.

Lepchas may agree to lump the cow’s leg but this one really takes their goat. Wapcos says: “Chastity of women at the time of marriage does not hold a lot of importance. Pre-marital and extra- marital relationships are not uncommon.’’

The report concludes that the project doesn’t hurt anyone, least of all Lepchas and hence can be proceeded with, except that the workers should not mess around with the cows and the girls. The blasting of Dzongu for Teesta 3 is in full swing now.

There are 2,200 workers, which is 10 per cent of the population, and the project will last five years. Remember why Goans threw out the SEZs. But then Lepchas are not Goans.

The unlettered tribals, 1,000 in all, are moving out of nine villages of Dzongu, leaving the educated Lepcha youths to sit on a hunger strike in Gangtok which is now 200 days old, of course, with no one listening.

Chamling now for the Lepchas

Gangtok , Sikkim : Chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling has finally agreed to look into the grievances of the Lepchas agitating against proposed hydroelectric power projects at Dzongu in North Sikkim, a place considered sacred by the Lepchas.

Following a meeting with the agitators yesterday Mr Chamling said: "No development will come at the cost of the culture, tradition and identity of the Lepchas. The state government has stopped work on all the five hydel power projects till the review committee appointed in the matter completes its report."

Urging the Joint Action Committee, which is supporting the Lepchas' agitation, to view the issue rationally and suggest necessary steps to find reasonable solution Mr Chamling said: "Now the Affected Citizens of Teesta should participate in the review process so that the government can find an appropriate solution and can fulfill the wishes of the Lepchas without having to face legal and other complications."

The Opposition is viewing Mr Chamling's "about turn" on the issue as a result of mounting political pressure.

They are also inclined to view it as the chief minister's move to appease the Lepcha community before the forthcoming panchayat polls in the state.

Various Lepcha associations including the Affected Citizens of Teesta, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Rong Ong Prongzom, Darjeeling Lepcha Youth Wings, Concern Lepchas of Sikkim and various other associations are agitating against the power projects.

According them, the Lepchas are primarily nature worshipers and so the mountains, lakes, rivers, hills, trees in Dzongu are sacred to the Lepcha community.

Source: The Statesman

More support for the Lepchas

Gangtok , Sikkim : The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad has joined hands with members of the Affected Citizens of Teesta who are protesting against upcoming hydroelectric power projects at Dzongu, a Lepcha reserve in North Sikkim.

Terming the ACT's agitation "legitimate", the ABAVP president, Mr Somjibhai Damor, said: "The plight of tribals across the country is similar to the plight of Lepchas in Sikkim. We have started organising awareness campaign at Dzongu," he added.

Mr Damor said a collective tribal body should be formed in all states to unite the tribal population in a bid to overcome government 'atrocities'. If the fundamental rights of the tribal people as inscribed in the Indian constitution are denied, the spark of rebel would ignite the future," he said.

Meanwhile, the issue of the controversial hydroelectric power projects has gained much momentum in the state with the staunch support from the ABAVP. "Irrespective of the place, all Lepchas are one, even though I came from Kalimpong thinking Dzongu is my native and sacred land," said Mr Lyangsong Tamsang, president of Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association.

Source: The Statesman