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The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Whose mountain is it, anyway?
On May 18, five people from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) scaled Mt Khangchendzonga from the Nepal side, prompting expressions of concern and protest by civil society groups and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang. Sikkim's native population holds the mountain sacred and the State government disallows attempts to climb it or scale its peak from the Indian side. One side of Mt Khangchendzonga faces Nepal, a country that hasn't instituted a similar ban and which the NIMAS team took advantage of. Also Read | Mt. Khangchendzonga ascent hurtful to indigenous communities: Sikkim CM to Amit Shah Tensions over mountains There has been a resurgence of the assertion of spiritual beliefs over mountains of late. Mountains are important sources of water, which is increasingly becoming a strategic resource. They straddle geo-dynamic features we need to know to understand the land we live on. But in a world grappling with the effects of climate change, mountain ecosystems worldwide also rank among the most vulnerable. This renders the stewardship provided by indigenous communities important, especially in the form of indigenous knowledge that allowed people to coexist sustainably with their environs for centuries. Of course, there are other reasons to respect indigenous communities' beliefs, including building resilient societies and redressing historical injustice. In parallel, there is still a need to understand mountains from scientific and military points of view, and physical access often yields the best data. The resulting tensions have become more pronounced in the last two decades or so. As the recent incident illustrates, the key has always been stakeholder involvement and scientists and military personnel being okay with hearing the word 'no'. This is why work on the Thirty-Meter Telescope (of which India is a government-level member) was stalled from 2014 after the Kānaka Maoli community protested its construction on their sacred Mauna Kea. Native Hawaiians have also opposed the U.S. Space Forces AMOS-STAR project on the Haleakalā shield volcano on similar grounds. Atacameño communities in Chile have warned of 'spiritual' loss over the construction of telescopes in Cerro Armazones and Cerro Paranal. In many instances, governments presume scientific and defence needs should override indigenous rights. Surveys to assess eco-spiritual rights are often conducted after indigenous groups have mounted large protests, and not before the project is commissioned. The India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) faced similar opposition over locals' inability to access a temple located near the planned project site thanks to the presence of police personnel. While the INO scientists have said the police shouldn't have been present, much less denying access to the area, the incident only illustrates the sort of heavy-handedness large and expensive projects open the door to while denying indigenous communities their rights. Also Read | Indian team scales world's third-highest peak Sharper legal instruments Fortunately, however, thanks to the initiative of civil society groups led by youth, the election of indigenous individuals to government positions, technological advances, and the pressures of climate adaptation and sustainability, the legal instruments available to assert indigenous rights are becoming sharper. The UN principle of 'free prior and informed consent' of indigenous peoples is bolstered by its Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and convention 169 of the International Labour Organisation. Sikkim's notifications consecrating Mt Khangchendzonga were under the Places of Worship Act, 1991. Overall, it is becoming cheaper both in monetary and extra-monetary ways (including the risk of reputational harm) to consult first than to litigate later. Heavy-handedness still prevails but there is progress, and governments need to be part of it, including in the arena of military action. As Article 30 of the UNDRIP says, 'States shall undertake effective consultations with the indigenous peoples concerned... prior to using their lands... for military activities.' Consultative actions that account for political variables can also ensure neither indigenous groups nor governments resort to heavy-handedness of their own. For example, a volcanology programme in 2014 involved the governments of North Korea, China, and the U.K. to study the revered Paektu mountain on the North Korea-China border to understand when it might erupt next. On the flip side, after protests in Bhutan over foreign expeditions to the Gangkhar Puensum peak, the government banned attempts to climb more than 6,000 m above sea level in 1994 and altogether banned mountaineering in 2003. NIMAS is an autonomous institute under India's Ministry of Defence. The NIMAS team's endeavour on May 18 was part of the Indian Army's 'Har Shikhar Tiranga' campaign to plant the Indian flag on the highest point of each State. Even if this wasn't explicit military action, its purpose was to stoke national pride and build support for India's war rhetoric. By sidestepping local support for its ascent and planting the Indian flag on the mountain from the Nepal side, the NIMAS team has cheapened the struggles of native peoples to lower the cost of consulting them. If it had consulted them and they had refused access, the NIMAS team could still have achieved its goal by planting the flag at another spot. National integrity is also important for national security.
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
A small state with big vision
The India Today State of the States—Sikkim@50 conclave, held in New Delhi on May 22, marked 50 years since the Himalayan state's accession to the Indian Union. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang—re-elected with a near-total mandate last year—hailed the moment as historic not just for Sikkim, but for the outlined three core governance priorities: national security, connectivity and human development. He cited the transfer of the Sevoke-Rangpo stretch of the NH-10 from West Bengal to the central authority and upcoming railway connectivity by 2026 as transformative for trade and Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang | High on ambition:The Sikkim@50 Conclave reflects on the state's transformation and its future. advertisementOn health, he shared that dialysis services have now reached every district hospital, cancer treatment has begun in the state, and a new 500-bed referral hospital is set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 29. Education, aligned early with the National Education Policy, is also central. The state already has a literacy rate exceeding 90 per cent, and the government aims for universal literacy by 2027. Tamang also envisions at least one university in every constituency to stem youth migration. His flagship 'One Family, One Entrepreneur' scheme has disbursed Rs 240 crore in collateral-free loans to over 25,000 applicants, fostering grassroots enterprise. Environmental stewardship remains core to Sikkim's identity. The 'Mero Rukh, Mero Santati' (My Tree, My Family) scheme links afforestation with financial security for conclave also featured insights on strategic policy, sustainable development and Sikkim's vision for 2047. From women changemakers to educationists, from MPs, ministers and top officials to entrepreneurs and football icon Bhaichung Bhutia, the event showcased a 50-year-young state determined to scale new heights. Must Watch advertisement
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business Standard
One dead, 2 injured, 8 missing as vehicle falls into Teesta river in Sikkim
One person was killed, two injured and eight others missing when a vehicle carrying 11 tourists plunged into the Teesta river in North Sikkim's Mangan district, police said on Friday. The tourist vehicle plunged more than 1,000 feet into Teesta river near Munsithang along the Lachen - Lachung highway on Thursday night. Two critically injured persons have been rescued and one body recovered, they said. Eight tourists are still missing, said Superintendent of Police, Mangan, Sonam Detchu Bhutia. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang in a Facebook post said, "I am deeply saddened by the tragic road accident that occurred on the night of May 29 near Chubombu, Mangan district, where a tourist vehicle fell into the Teesta river while travelling from Lachen to Lachung. My heartfelt prayers are with the victims and their families during this extremely difficult time." The CM said that rescue operations began immediately under the supervision of SP Mangan, with the dedicated efforts of the police, ITBP, fire and medical teams, and local volunteers. He said that two individuals have been rescued and are receiving medical care. He further said that the search for others is ongoing, with NDRF teams joining the operation. "Our government is fully committed to extending all possible support to the victims and their families. We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring that every necessary resource is deployed for the ongoing rescue and relief efforts. Let us stand united in this hour of grief and extend our support to those affected," the CM said. Details regarding the deceased, injured and the cause of the accident are still awaited. Authorities have cordoned off the area and requested tourists to avoid unnecessary travel along the route until further notice, the police added.
The Print
3 days ago
- The Print
One dead, 2 injured, 8 missing as tourist vehicle plunges into Teesta river in Sikkim
The tourist vehicle plunged more than 1,000 feet into Teesta river near Munsithang along the Lachen- Lachung highway on Thursday night. Two critically injured persons have been rescued and one body recovered, they said. Gangtok, May 30 (PTI) One person was killed, two injured and eight others missing when a vehicle carrying 11 tourists plunged into the Teesta river in North Sikkim's Mangan district, police said on Friday. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang in a Facebook post said, 'I am deeply saddened by the tragic road accident that occurred on the night of May 29 near Chubombu, Mangan district, where a tourist vehicle fell into the Teesta river while travelling from Lachen to Lachung. My heartfelt prayers are with the victims and their families during this extremely difficult time.' The CM said that rescue operations began immediately under the supervision of SP Mangan, with the dedicated efforts of the police, ITBP, fire and medical teams, and local volunteers. He said that two individuals have been rescued and are receiving medical care. He further said that the search for others is ongoing, with NDRF teams joining the operation. 'Our government is fully committed to extending all possible support to the victims and their families. We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring that every necessary resource is deployed for the ongoing rescue and relief efforts. Let us stand united in this hour of grief and extend our support to those affected,' the CM said. Details regarding the deceased, injured and the cause of the accident are still awaited. Authorities have cordoned off the area and requested tourists to avoid unnecessary travel along the route until further notice, the police added. PTI COR RG This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Why summiting of Himalayan peak from Nepal stirred up a storm in Sikkim
A recent expedition to Mount Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak located on the border between India and Nepal, by a team of mountaineers from the Nepalese side has sparked outrage in Sikkim. Such intense has been the reaction that the Chief Minister of the state, Prem Singh Tamang, wrote to the Centre, seeking a prohibition of such expeditions from the Nepal side. There is a reason behind this 8,586-metre-high Himalayan peak, considered sacred by the Bhutia and Lepcha communities of Sikkim, has long been off-limits to climbers from the Indian side. Expressing deep concern, CM Tamang wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the Centre to take steps to prevent such expeditions in the letter followed an outrage by the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), which condemned the ascent, demanding stricter enforcement of the ban to protect Sikkim's cultural heritage. A joint team of mountaineers from Arunachal Pradesh's National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), led by Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal, summited Mount Kangchenjunga, via the easier Nepal route on May 18. The expedition, part of the "Har Shikhar Tiranga" mission to hoist the national flag on India's second-highest peak, has now sparked outrage in Sikkim, where the mountain is revered as a sacred deity. India's highest peak, Mount K2 (8,611 metres), lies in Pakistan-Occupied SUMMIT BANNED UNDER PLACES OF WORSHIP ACTadvertisementSikkim, in 2001, banned expeditions to "Mount Khangchendzongna" under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on May 24 wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging diplomatic talks with Nepal to halt such climbs, citing the mountain's profound spiritual significance and a longstanding ban on scaling the peak called "Dzoe-Nga" by the locals."The recent reports of this ascent have caused widespread anguish among the people of Sikkim. The mountain is not just a peak, it is a living deity... In view of the above, we earnestly urge that this matter be treated with the utmost sensitivity and respect...," Tamang wrote, urging Shah to take up the matter with letter followed a condemnation of the assent from the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) demanding stricter enforcement of the ban to protect Sikkim's cultural heritage."This is not just about climbing; it's about respect, legality, and identity," the SIBLAC said, adding, "the Khangchendzonga", meaning "Five Treasures of the High Snows", is considered a guardian deity and the abode of ban on Mount Kangchenjunga's summits aligns with Article 371F of the Indian Constitution, which safeguards Sikkim's cultural and religious laws after it merged with India in the recent climb from the Nepal side, where no such ban exists, has reignited tensions, as it bypasses Sikkim's EASIER FROM NEPAL SIDEClimbing Kangchenjunga is technically easier from Nepal due to more accessible routes from the southwest, northwest, and northeast, compared to the near-vertical northeastern route from Sikkim, which has been closed since summits are active from the Nepal Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation issued permits to as many as 41 climbers between March 1 and April 25 alone. It generated USD 73,800 in royalty fees during the one-and-a-half-month climbing season, reported the Kathmandu-based daily, Mount Kangchenjunga continues to attract climbers from around the world, the challenge now lies in balancing mountaineering pursuits with the deep-rooted spiritual sentiments of the indigenous people of the Watch
