Dharamshala: The Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has supported the Indian governments nationwide lockdown saying “the steps being taken by the Central Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be effective in containing the spread of the virus.”
The Nobel Peace laureate has also written to the chief minister Jairam Thakur expressing support for his efforts to control the growing threat.
“Since Himachal Pradesh has been my home for almost 60 years,” he wrote, “I naturally feel an affinity for its people. Therefore, as a token of respect and sympathy, I am making a donation from the Gaden Phodrang Trust of the Dalai Lama to the Chief Minister’s Fund in order to contribute to providing essential supplies like food and medicine for the poor and needy members of the community.”
Central Tibetan Authority Asks Tibetans To Comply With Indian Government Directives
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has asked Tibetans in Dharamshala and in other parts of India to strictly comply with the instructions of the the Central Government, the government of Himachal Pradesh or the concerned state authorities and keep stationed wherever you are in this lockdown until further notice.
“CTA has also encouraged remote working and telecommuting for a majority of its staff. Only those within the premises of the CTA headquarters shall attend work on an alternate shift,”said senior officer of CTA in Dharamshala.
He further said that should anyone seek to contact the offices of CTA for any concerns or queries, please call or email the respective offices and do not make physical appearances and walk-ins at any of the offices.
CTA released the detailed contacts of its 59 officers to facilitate seamless communication, a complete contact directory of the Tibetan settlement officers, Delek hospital doctors, SO secretaries are provided here. A directory of the seven departments of CTA and offices at the headquarters are provided here.
“We once again encourage the public to communicate their concerns via telephone, emails and observe the nationwide lockdown until further instruction,” said officer. Dharamshala is the head quarter of Tibetan government CTA in exile in India.
It may be added here that the first casualty due to the Coronavirus in Himachal was on Monday when a 69-year-old Tibetan of Mecleodganj , died in Medical College and Hospital, Tanda, near Dharamshala, and since then HP government has totally sealed Mecleodganj, the main residential area of Tibetans in Dharamshala.
According to information, Tenzin Choden, who lived in Mcleodganj area of Dharamsala, had returned from US on March 21. He had hired a taxi from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, to Mcleodganj, the authorities claimed. After this death, the district administration had alerted the Tibet’s government in exile in Dharamsala, asking them to quarantine and test all those who came in touch with Choden.
The district authorities also appealed the public that every person having a history of travel to a foreign country in the past 28 days must voluntarily disclose the information by contacting on telephone numbers 104 & 1077.
Arvind Sharma is an award winning bi-lingual journalist with more than 20 years of experience.
He has worked with Divya Himachal, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhasker, Vir Partap, Ajit and PTI.
In 2010, he was conferred the Himachal Kesri journalism award. He reports on the Tibetan Government in Exile, politics, sports, tourism and other topics. He lives in Dharamshala.
