Dharamshala: - As an important strategy of The Tibet Post International (TPI), we are trying to focus on the basic problems facing by people living in Tibetan refugee settlements across India, past two years TPI staff writers have visited three major settlements; Mundgod, Bylakuppe and Hunsur in Karnataka State, South India, and managed to cover many difficulty issues of those the settlements.
This time we are focusing on water problem facing by Tibetan refugees living in Tsering Dhonden Tibetan Ling Colony in Dehradun, Uttarakhand state in northern India. After a careful discussion on the issue, on behalf of a group of Tibetans from the settlement, Tsering Yangzom, President (RTWA) has shared with TPI to highlight their water problem of the settlement.
Rajpur is a place where Tibetan Refugee have settled for more than 30 yrs, being very poor and massive unemployment peoples used to stay in a rented house which comes in their budget, which has been eliminate by the help of late Mr. Sangay Yeshi la who seek a group of foreigners who shown their kind sponsorship to built this colony for the Tibetan Refugee whom they in needed.
Those Tibetan peoples living in Rajpur on rented house were shifted there in New Settlement after the opening Ceremony by His Holiness 14thThe Dalai Lama on 29 march 2005. His Holiness named the new colony---Tsering Dhonden Tibetan Colony------.
It has already been unmarked by late Mr. Sangay Yeshi la during his visit at the houses of Rajpur where our people are staying in houses which is likely to decomposed and jeopardy to their life once if the building collapse.
Tsering Dhonden Tibetan Colony comprises of 149 houses with the total population of 850 peoples. Like other Tibetan settlement this colony is not directly under comes with Tibetan Exile Government, so it has to face lots of problems which is as under:-
(a) Scarcity of water:-The very first and most ever problem facing by the villagers is water because there is only 15 minutes of water timing to the villager which is very meager within three days, sometimes comes on five days.
(b) Medical: - There is no any medical aid provided to this colony by health department which is adversely affecting the health of our old aged people. Except Men-Tse-Khang visit once in a month.
(c) Transportation: - This settlement is about 3 kms away from the bus stop, being steep hill it is inconvenient to walk 3 kms regulars for our old aged people to get their basic and daily needs.
But if we going to point out each and every problems then it has a lots. So, the main problems facing is water supply. "If there is no water, there is no health".
We have droned a tube well in 2011 with the help of late Mr.Sangay Yeshi la's son but was not succeed and results, still doesn't have any water till now. So, we are thinking have a pipe line connection from near village which already have water connection but we don't know whether its succeed or not as we have to talk with the village panchayat and the villagers.
There is no any relief and help being provided to villagers but by the help of RTWA old aged people are getting @ Rs 500/- (Rupees Five hundred only) per month by Khando Rinpoche of Clementown.
RTWA of Tsering Dhonden colony, when joining this association we pledged to god that we are here to solve each and every problems faced by Tibetans whether its political or non-political, we will always there to help our peoples without any selfishness. So, the water problem is the one which we always see in this colony.
Being public of this colony RTWA is expecting a great hope from your organization to spell our genuine problems to Tibetan Exile Government and make a positive financial support to abolish our daily and regular problems. Also guide us for water supply and as possible please have inspection in colony with some engineers who have a knowledge on water.
RTWA is expecting to get relieve from the problems which is regular faced by the people of colony.
As usual most of our Tibetan society has sponsor from various organization to incur their basic needs which is out of their finances, this colony is also expecting sponsorship to incur a connection of water from other organization.
Lastly, we are really thankful for you to taking interest on this issue. This is not only a problem, this is basic problem. Hope you will always help us until we succeed our project.
