Protesters stay firm, oppose TCP Act in Lahaul-Spiti district

Mandi, July 26

The officials of the Town and Country Planning Department, Kullu, yesterday visited Lahaul valley to meet the residents sitting on chain hunger strike at Sissu for the past 10 days opposing the imposition of Town and Country Planning Act in Lahaul and Spiti.

The state government had issued a notification on June 28 regarding the imposition of the TCP Act from the Atal Tunnel up to Tandi in Lahaul valley, which will impact seven gram panchayats of this district.

The officials of TCP Department tried to convince the residents of Lahaul to accept the TCP Act. The officials tried to explain that the imposition of the TCP Act would ensure construction activity in a planned manner in the district.

Rasik Sharma, Divisional Town Planner at Kullu, who met the residents at Sissu, said: “The team tried to clear the doubts of the people and those sitting on a chain hunger strike at Sissu about the TCP Act in Lahaul and Spiti.”

However, continuing their opposition, Lahaul residents said that they do not want the TCP Act in Lahaul and Spiti. Sachin Mirupa, pradhan of Koksar gram panchayat, said, “We gave a clear message to the officials of Town and Country Planning Department that we do not want this Act in Lahaul and Spiti. We also requested the officials that their message should be conveyed to the state government.”

“The protest will continue until the state government does not consider our demand. We urge Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to withdraw this notification with immediate effect for the welfare of people in this tribal district,” he said.