Bengaluru, 30th March 2023: A delegation headed by CRO, South Zone, Central Tibetan Administration, Karnataka including members of three monastic schools of Gaden Shartse, Drepung Gomang and Seramey sought a courtesy meeting with Prof. Gopal Krishan Joshi, Executive Director, Karnataka State Higher Education Council.
Prior to this, during an international conclave entitled ‘Swaraj’ organised by Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayati Raj University in Gadag District from 1st to 3rd March 2023, where CRO and his delegation team participated, a layout of discussion upon the opportunities and challenges of Higher Education for Buddhist Monastic Schools in Karnataka State was initiated.
Sh. Amruth Joshi, National Co-Convener for CGTC-I, Southern Region, who originally hails from Hubli Dharwad region, made it possible for the CRO and its delegation to participate not only in the International Conclave in KSRDPR University in Gadag also coordinated the meeting at KSHEC in Bengaluru.
CRO presented a souvenir to Shr. Gopal Krishna Joshi, Executive Director of Karnataka State Higher Education Council at Bangalore in presence of Shr. Amrut Joshi, National Co-Convener for CGTC-I, Southern Region and the representatives of respective school administrators from Bylakuppe and Mundgod.
On 31st March, CRO, South Zone accompanied by Sh. Amruth Joshi visited Ooty to seek redress for the challenges faced by the sweater sellers in Ooty. The delegation signed a fresh lease agreement between Breeks All India Senior Secondary School and Tibetan Sweater Sellers Association represented by CRO. The Lease Agreement was signed in the presence of Deputy Tahsildar, Ooty, Nilgiri district, Tempa Dhargye, Chairman, Tibetan Sweater Sellers Association, Ooty, Rinchen Wangdak, Security Liaison Officer, CRO, Bengaluru and other members.
40% of the annual income of Tibetans in exile is being generated from Sweater Selling or Garment Selling profession which is now spread over 22 States and 228 associations. In its accordance, the Tibetans have existed in Ooty since 21st October 1988 as per their registration at Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975.
Whereas, as per the lease document established in 1992 between Breeks All India Secondary School Management Committee, Ooty and Chief Representative, South Zone – representing Tibetan Sweater Seller Association, Ooty, the rent was fixed at Rs.10/- per stall per day (including Rs.6/- maintenance fee) with subject to 10% escalation on yearly basis.
Till March 2001, the Breeks Management Committee hadn’t raised the rent whereas, from April 2001, a fresh agreement came into force between the two parties fixing the rent at Rs.30/- per stall per day. Followed by this, in May 2012 and June 2016, successive escalation of rent was raised to Rs.80/- per stall per day and Rs.200/- per stall per day – a surge of 266% and 250% respectively from the previous rent of Rs.30/- per stall per day.
Considering a clear indication of a violation of both the original lease documents and humanitarian values, despite this, Tibetan stall owners kept on paying the rent for fear of their stalls getting confiscated. From 2011 to 2021 Tibetan stall owners in Ooty have made the payment of Rs.3,01,88,274/- as rental fees against the actual payment of Rs.1,40,49,538/- meaning around Rs.1,61,38,736/- were paid extra as rent.
In addition to existent realities, the state of despair caused by the Pandemic and the forceful erection of MCD staff in front of Tibetan Stalls, Tibetans were left with no other choice than to appeal before the local administration to look into the matter. Finally, after several rounds of approach and submission made by Tibetan stall owners, CRO office, Indo Tibet Support Group Members including Ruby Mukherjee and Prof.V.Anto and visitation by Tibetan Parliamentarians, a fresh rental agreement was executed on 31st March 2023 dating from 1st September 2022 with Rs.100/- per stall per day and an escalation of 10% on yearly basis.
–Filed by the CRO, South Zone, CTA