Dharamshala: Additional Secretary Tenzin Norbu of the Department of Home, CTA, concluded his ten-day assessment visit to Mainpat Tibetan Settlement in Chhattisgarh on 2 February 2023. The main objective behind his visit was to assess the situation of Mainpat Tibetan Settlement that falls under the Bauxite mine project area, along with other engagements.

The Additional Secretary gathered Local Tibetan Assembly members, housing committee members, representatives from local Tibetan Cooperative Society, and heads of the camps to study and understand the mining project’s possible consequence on the status of the Tibetan settlement. At the same time, he apprised the gathering about Home Department’s reviewed housing rules and the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014.

To prevent mining on area where the Tibetan settlement was situated, additional Secretary Tenzin Norbu called on Shri Amrit Lal Dhruv, ADM; Smt. Bhavna Gupta, SP; Vishwadeep, CEO Gram Panchayat, Surguja Distt; and Parth Basu, Regional Officer of Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation, to discuss the issue and seek assistance.

During the visit, Sarpanch Puran from the Kamleshwarpur village visited Mainpat Tibetan Settlement to investigate and measure the areas that encompasses Bauxite mine. He further gave an instructions on how to stop the execution of the project on the settlement.

Similarly, SDM Ravi Rahi and Tehsildar Shiv Narayan Rahia from Sitapur district met Additional Secretary Tenzin Norbu to deliberate environmental repercussions of mining activities to the region and its affects on the settlement in particular.

As part of his assessment visit, the Additional Secretary also visited monasteries, old-age people house, primary health care centre, men-tsee-khang, Sambhota school and demo farm at the settlement, accompanied by Deputy Secretary Ngodup Woeser of the Home Department.

-Report filed by Department of Home, CTA