Home Secretary visits southern Tibetan settlement accompanied by Mr. Dhondup Tsering, Deputy Secretary from 29^th October to 11^th November 2015.

Secretary Sonam Topgyal Khorlatsang reached Kollegal Tibetan settlement on 29 October. He first visited the sites proposed for construction of community mass prayer gathering stage and other proposed construction sites. In the meeting held the following day, the secretary highlighted the success and benefits of Tibetan rehabilitation policy 2014. He visited young farming beneficiaries engaged in agriculture work and the old aged home and few villages to see the living condition and had interaction with a few of them. Thereafter, he proceeded towards Hunsur settlement.

Upon arrival at Hunsur, the secretary visited all the ongoing construction work including road extension and new construction of community hall. After visiting the trenches to curb elephant menace the following morning, the secretary, on request from soft loan beneficiaries, offered to look into considering reviving the loan.

On his arrival at Chakur settlement around 1:30 p.m. He visited the road renovation and extension site from Priyapatna and Chakur village, funded by the state government. While at Bylakuppe settlement, he along with Dr. Kunchok Tsondue – Chief Planning Officer – CTA went to see the model retired staff quarter construction work where he offered suggestion to the architect for necessary changes and improvement on the model staff quarter. It was for handing-over and taking-over ceremony of this new quarter that brought him to this place as one of his main purposes of visit. Given the high quality work of the building, the team from experts representing the Prefab company that supplied materials, was ready to certify the building, and the building being first of its kind in the locality for its new technology received coverage in local media. He then visited the internal road connecting between camp no 3 and newly built Tashi Lhunpu monastery, to be financed by state government and urged the dealing PWD civil engineer to start the road construction with immediate effect, which he inturn did.

On 4.11.2015 the secretary accompanied by two settlement officer, President of Lugsam & Delar cooperative society, visited the ongoing renovation and extension of settlement palace of His Holiness “Phodrang” construction site, followed by visit to “Cauvery River drinking water project” site.

Before leaving Bylakuppe he re-visited the proposed new construction site for new arrivals and asked the TDL settlement officer to follow up on the work related to site development and went to see AEO’ training demonstration plot where variety of vegetables crops are grown. On 5th November 2015, he along with two settlement officers of Bylakuppe left for Mysore and had a meeting with Mysore DC with regard to the procedure of land lease and RTC in line with the “Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014”, and thanked the DC for the support and commitment and left for Hubli the same night via train.

In the morning of 7^thNovermber 2015, the secretary, in his address to the public at Doeguling, covered a huge ground including importance of sustainability of Tibetan settlement and its preservation of unique identity. In his address at all the settlements he visited, he mentioned that Karnataka government has extended tremendous support and requested the farmers and authority concerned to make best use of land allotted by the state government to avoid possible problem in the future. He visited all the proposed housing construction site for new arrivals.

In the afternoon, the secretary made very clear about Rules & Regulation for land usage (Sakang dikshe) to all local land committee “Saney SakangTsogchung”. He also visited the site for proposed construction of shopping complex for income generation and for the welfare of the settlers.

On 9^thNovermber 2015 morning the secretary paid a visit to the organic banana orchard and was impressed with the result of the farmer’s hard work. As for the water percolation pond fed on rain where “YATRI NIWAS” project construction work is underway, the secretary advised on doing landscaping of the site to give it more eco-friendly look to attract more tourist attention.

While at Bangalore on 10^th November 2015 he visited ISTL Neelamangala to have a glimpse of youngsters from different settlements on various skill trainings offered by the institute. After introduction by Manager, the secretary stressed the importance of the opportunities and requested all involved in the training to make their time at the institute worthwhile and set examples to others. Any problem they face, he said, could be notified to the head office through the manager. On 11^th November 2015 he left from Bangalore to Delhi via train.

– Report filed by Department of Home –