<< Tawang
Lamas under the banner of Save Mon Region Federation (SMRF) met
Shinde recently in New Delhi and raised their concern over 13
hydroelectric projects planned in Tawang, the birthplace of the VIth
Dalai Lama.
The 400-year old Tawang monastery, highly revered in the Mahayana
sect of Buddhism, is among the many sacred Buddhist spots in the
district. The monastery, founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in
1680-1681AD on the wish of fifth Dalai Lama, stands on the spur of a
hill about 10,000 feet above sea level. Tawang is also strategically
important location for its proximity to Mac Mahon Line and China
frequently claiming the area as southern Tibet.
"The spiritual and cultural heritage of Tawang is of great concern to
the Mon community. This is the birthplace of the VIth Dalai Lama and is
believed to have been visited by saint Padmasambhava. Besides, there are
a number of holy sites associated with our saints along the Tawang Chu
and Nyamjangs Chu river basin. These holy mountains and sacred
landscapes will be affected by the proposed dams. We are against such
desecration of our sacred land," SMRF general secretary Lobsang Gyatso
said.
Pointing out that Centre had scrapped proposals for three dams on the
Ganga due to religious sentiments, Gyatso said: "Similar steps should
be taken to ensure that our sacred sites in Tawang and elsewhere in
Arunachal Pradesh are not defiled. He added that the 1750MW Demwe
hydroelectric project was also planned close to the holy site Parshuram
Kund in Arunachal Pradesh.
SMRF said that discontent and anger of the people of Tawang against
large number of hydroelectric projects would only benefit China, which
claims the place as part of its territory. "People of Tawang have faith
in the Union of India, but situations like these are instilling
discontent and dissatisfaction among citizens. This is perhaps exactly
the kind of sentiment China is banking on when it claims Tawang time and
again," Gyatso said. He said that apart from environmental degradation
and desecration of sacred places, the hydel projects would not help the
people of Tawang as the electricity generated would be channelled
outside.
SMRF was also concerned that these projects could jeopardize the
area's "cultural dynamics" and the influx of migrant labourers would
undermine the rights of indigenous people. "Tawang's population is
barely 49, 950 and the 13 projects are set to bring in a peak labour
force of over 100,000 people. This will ruin the cultural dynamics of
the area where the rights of indigenous people have been
constitutionally safeguarded," SMRF said.
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