Medha Patkar

Kalimpong, April 22: A Lepcha youth association in Kalimpong has decided to organise another march to Dzongu some time soon as part of its protests against the setting up of mega hydel power projects there.

The Rong Ong Prongzom will also take up the cause of Dzongu with like-minded organisations in different parts of the country. “Medha Patkar (activist) has invited us to take part in a joint dharna against the Land-Acquisition Bill, 2007 and the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill, 2007 in New Delhi from April 28 to 30. During our stay in the capital, we will interact with representatives of different organisations from various parts of the country who are expected to take part in the dharna,” said Dorjee Lepcha, the president of the association.

The proposed march comes close on the heels of the recent aborted pilgrimage-on-foot to Dzongu that was undertaken by the Lepchas of the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim. The residents of the hill state turned hostile and the Sikkim government persuaded the marchers to turn back.

Unlike the previous march, which began at Tribeni, the confluence of the Teesta and Rangit, 16km from here, the next march will start from Rangpo on the Bengal-Sikkim border.