The Sikkim Government has renewed its appeal to protesters demanding the scrapping of hydel power projects in the State to call off their relay hunger strike and invited them to a dialogue.

In New Delhi, where he is on an official trip, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling said, “I once again appeal to the members of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) to immediately call off their strike in favour of creating a congenial atmosphere and thereafter they are welcome to discuss the issues with me.”

The ACT has been on a relay hunger strike for nearly two months demanding scrapping of over half-a-dozen upcoming hydel power projects in the Lepcha reserve of Dzong in Sikkim’s North district.

Pointing out that power projects in the State were for its sustainable development and a step towards self reliance, Chamling reminded them of Jawaharlal Nehru’s description of power projects as ‘temples of modern India’.

Offering another justification for the upcoming power projects in Sikkim, Chamling said that in his address to the nation on the 60th Independence Day recently, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said that the country has fixed a target of generating one lakh MW electricity by the end of 11th Five Year Plan and requested all States to initiate immediate action to achieve this target.

In his appeal he also said that the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia has appreciated the initiatives taken by the State Government for utilizing hydro potential through investment by power producers and public sector units.

Meanwhile, the Citizens Forum, an NGO supporting the on-going protests against the proposed hydel power projects in Sikkim, organized a press meet in Gangtok.

Addressing the press, T Lachungpa, president of the NGO said that there has been a recent spurt of anti-democratic activities by way of trying to strangle the freedom of expression of the people who did not agree with the State Government in decisions related to the proposed power projects.

A large numbers of anonymous pamphlets are in circulation in the capital, both in English and Nepali language containing threatening, abusive, defamatory personal character assassination of people and even overtly communal comments.