Port Blair, Sept 12: Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, the Member of Parliament, A & N Islands along with Mr. Sanjay Balan, Retd. Official, A & N Administration, yesterday visited Swaraj Dweep following numerous complaints regarding removal of old encroachments without following due process of law.
Further the local residents also alleged of excesses being committed on the entrepreneurs / businessmen/ traders of the islands and also upon the farmers by local officials.
The MP also visited the areas from where old encroachment of fruiting arecanut plantation was cut down insensitively in the name of encroachment eviction drive.
Later he also met the farmers and extended families of settlers who were allegedly not being allowed to construct own small houses in their own land.
He also happened to meet entrepreneurs/ hotel owners who complained about spokes being put in their decade’s old businesses without any valid reasoning. This needs to be reminded that these business people are contributing for country’s growth by paying GST and other relevant taxes in tune of multi crores. And they are being troubled?
Mr. Ray advised the Assistant Commissioner and others to serve the people with spirit of compassion and understand the local dynamics which will enable them in making reasoned and articulated decisions. He requested the officers present not to take law into their own hands but act in accordance with law wherever necessary. The MP opined that if a single hotel in Swaraj Dweep is paying 14 crore as GST, with a little bit of easing the bottlenecks, the government can expect 1500 cr to 2000 cr GST from Swaraj Dweep Island itself. This will also enable creation of more jobs / more business opportunities etc for the local populace too, he said.
“The endeavor of the Administration should therefore be to lay down conducive atmosphere for the islanders / farmers and the Businessmen alike for enabling holistic development and to achieve the dreams of Modi govt”, he added.
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