Dharamsala, August 25 – The number of Tibetans going to McLeodganj and other Tibetan settlements in India has declined. With foreign tourists also not visiting the town the streets of McLeodganj wear a deserted look after dusk these days.
Talking to TNS, a spokesman of the reception office of the Tibetan government-in-exile said they had also received reports that a large groups of Tibetans were putting up in Nepal, waiting for the issuance of special permits. “In some cases it has been more than two months. That is why a large number of Tibetans have not been seen in recent months. Otherwise, around 15 permits are issued per day on an average from Nepal to India,” he said.
An official of the Department of Information and International Relations said many Tibetans waited for winter so that they could easily cross over to Nepal as police deployment in the hill areas was less between October and March every year. “The number is expected to swell only after the winter sets in and the Tibetans find it easier to cross over to Nepal,” he said.
Mr Dorje, in-charge of the reception office said most of the Tibetans visited India to either seek the blessings of the Dalai Lama or to admit their wards in Tibetan schools here. “Also, there are others who come to meet their relatives staying in Tibetan settlements,” he said.
Meanwhile, the final integrated development plan for the period 2004-2007 of the Tibetan government-in-exile was presented on Monday at an executive meeting of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). It took over 13 months since its pronouncement on July 10 last year when the background and the guidelines to this plan were released.
The plan had come at a time when the Tibetan population in exile was undergoing a major demographic, socio-cultural and economic and political change, said an official.
Mr Tashi Phuntsok, ex-secretary of the administrative division of the Department of Security was appointed Election Commissioner and Public Service Commissioner of the Central Tibetan Administration. Mr Kargyu Dhondup, formerly secretary of the Audit Office, was appointed Auditor-General.
