By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, December 21: Christmas came early for the 218 Tibetan families residing in McLeod Ganj with Sudhir Sharma, Minister of Housing & Urban Development of Himachal Pradesh, assuring ‘no further issues’ to those residences that came under scrutiny of the National Green Tribunal for illegal occupation of forestland.
Speaking to Phayul, the Urban Development minister said, “The authorities have already done its survey and the revised map has been submitted by the local Tibetan Settlement Office. So after completing all the formalities, I think within 15-20 days it will be finalized.”
He also added that the government has already done its notification in this context and no further issues would arise pertaining this matter.
The National Green Tribunal, in July 2013, ordered the state government to set up a committee to probe the charges against the Tibetan families after a case was filed in 2012 in the High Court against large scale encroachment by Tibetans in Kangra, Kullu and Mandi Districts.
The committee visited the site to probe the matter following which they submitted its report claiming that Tibetans have illegally built houses on forestland and also cut down trees.
Gyari Dolma, then Home Minister of Tibetan government in exile, intervened and suggested the Tibetan residents to form a five-member committee to handle all the proceedings regarding this case including handling documents, presenting the case and obtaining the lease, said Thinley Jampa, a member of the committee.
“We started the lease process from February after getting a clearance from the High Court. However, the process was halted for about two-three months after the district administration expressed its desire to review the issue,” Thinley said, adding that the Urban Development Minister intervened to clear the process after bringing it to his attention.
The 218 families are located in the Tibetan residential areas of TIPA road and Bhagsu road in Mcleod Ganj, abode of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and one of the largest Tibetan settlement.
