Port Blair, Dec 17: Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, President, PCC has written a letter to the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh and stated that the 26th December, 2004 will be remembered as ‘Darkest Day’ in the history of these Islands as the massive earth-quake followed by cruel tsunami waves has taken away thousands of Islanders lives, inflicted severe damage to the entire structure of development and left its terrible marks by causing everlasting geographical and ecological damage to these Island.
He said that after tsunami, adequate funds were sanctioned for relief & rehabilitation works and the islands as well as the islanders could witness development after the tsunami. Nevertheless, still a section of the cultivator community primarily comprising of old inhabitants brought to Andaman and Nicobar Islands under various rehabilitation and settlement schemes who lost their cultivable lands due to Tsunami, lives in state of dilemma and peril. For them Tsunami has become a permanent occurrence and every day challenge to sustain their living.
The development happening around them could not bring solace to these ailing cultivators. Even today an appreciable large portion of cultivable lands owned by these islanders are submerged with sea water without any remedy. For these cultivators, the produce from the land was the only source of earning livelihood for themselves and their family members.
Sharma has further stated that, to cause salvage to these section of Society, the Pradesh Congress Party had immediately taken up the issue of this natural calamity with various Ministries and demanded compensation for the losses sustained by the farmers and allotment of alternate lands in lieu of the submerged lands to enable them to earn their livelihood through farming.
The matter relating to providing compensation to people whose lands have been permanently submerged during Tsunami in Andaman and Nicobar Islands was taken up as a revised agenda (item No: 5) in the 13th meeting of the IDA held on 15th June, 2011 at New Delhi under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister.
Accordingly, the decision was taken that “In the event of the failure to obtain a favourable decision from the Ministry of Environment and Forests and pending decision of Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration will provide an option to the victims of Tsunami, whose lands have been permanently submerged under the Sea, to accept monitory compensation in lieu of submerged lands. The compensation amount will be reworked on the basis of the extent rules/guidelines and the market value of the land in locations adjacent to the submerged land parcels. For this purpose, necessary fund would be provided by the Central government.”
As a follow up to the decision taken in the 13th IDA Meeting, recently the Govt. of India has sanctioned a scheme by which the effected farmers can be helped by giving cash compensation to the tune of Rs. 9.39 lakhs per hectare of submerged land.
Accordingly, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has invited the consent of these unfortunate farmers to opt either for cash compensation or submerged land. As the compensation being offered is for the losses suffered by the Farmers in lieu of their submerged lands, most of the farmers have refused to accept in lieu of their submerged lands. Further, those who have accepted the compensation in lieu of their submerged land have done the same out of frustration and owing to their bleak economic condition.
Also, there is a feeling of resentment amongst the Islanders for the kind of compensation offered by the government to these poor victims. The Congress Party also strongly feels that the amount of compensation being rendered to the affected cultivators is not commensurate with the loss occurred and for sustenance of their livelihood.
Hence, for the reasons stated, the Congress Party requests to your Excellency to kindly consider to increase the rate of compensation of Rs. 9.39 lakh per hectare of submerged land, to Rs. 18 lakhs per hectare and also allow the victims to retain their lands since no alternate lands can be given by the Government due to its reasons.
The affected cultivators with the amount of proposed enhanced compensation and with the help of the Government in due course of time may use the submerged lands for Aqua culture, Eco friendly tourism, fishing sports etc. and somehow maintain their livelihood. Sharma has also stated that after the above stated IDA meeting (15 06 11), he has also projected the above demand before the then Honble Home Minister Mr. P Chidambaram who visited here on 21st January, 2012 and also to Mr Janardan Dwivedi, Honble Member of Parliament when he was at Port Blair. Besides, he has also sent the same demand to Mr. Shakeel Ahmed, In-charge AN Islands.
In view of the above submissions made by the Pradesh Congress Party, Sharma requested to the Prime Minister to kindly keep the matter in the agenda of IDA meeting to be held shortly for sympathetic consideration of granting an increase in the rate of compensation from Rs. 9.39 lakh per hectare of submerged land to Rs. 18 lakhs per hectare and also allow the victims to retain their lands, as no alternate lands can be given by the Government, so that they can use these submerged lands for Aqua culture, Eco friendly tourism, fishing sports etc. and somehow maintain their livelihood and for such kind act of the Prime Minister, the illfated farmers always be grateful to him. Sharma has sent the letter to the Prime Minister by fax and also by speed post.
