Forum slams Sikkim move on power project

The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) has expressed “shock and disappointment” over the way the Sikkim government has sought to power NHPC’s proposed Teesta Stage IV project at Dzongu in North Sikkim by appointing an expert panel.

The ACT noted that the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha had all along been opposed to the project to honour the sentiments of the local Lepcha people.

Gyatso Lepcha, ACT secretary, said the appointment was even more shocking because the matter was sub-judice. “There is a writ petition pending before the honourable High Court of Sikkim challenging the social impact assessment on the power project. Despite the matter being sub-judice, it seems the government is hell-bent on doing the bidding of the NHPC,” he told The Telegraph on phone.