Port Blair, May 06: A two day national seminar on Hunter Gatherers has begun today . The Secretary of Tribal welfare, Theva Neethi Dhas has inaugurated the seminar at A S I auditorium at Port Blair. The Anthropological Survey of India(ASI)’ s Port Blair centre organised this seminar on Life, Livelihood strategies and Technology among the Hunter Gatherers to mark the culmination of the Diamond jubilee celebration of the organisation.
Inaugurating the seminar, Mr Dhas empahsised that there should be a balanced view between the protection of rights of the aboriginal tribes and that of settler communities of these islands. He said when the government brought the settlers from different parts of the country for the deforestation and other developmental works in these islands, the ratio between the tribes and settlers was as low as 1 : 9 as per the census of 1901. But over the years, the settlers population increased manifold and the tribes population dwindled considerably to reach the current ratio of 1 : 675. He further revealed that there were about 8000 Great Andamanese in the islands and at present only about 60 reside in the strait island. Similarly, 111 Onges reside in Dugong Creek settlement in Little Andaman. Due to the efforts taken by the administration to protect them through the specially formed AJVS- Adhim Janjathi Vikas Samiti, the population of these tribes including Jarawas increased considerably.
However, they could not carry out their hunter gatherer activities due to various factors, he said. He stated that the islands administration makes constant efforts to ensure their rights through various welfare measures by AJVS. He also pointed out the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes(PAT) Regulation act enacted in 1956 has gone a long way in protecting the inalienable rights of the tribes over the lands occupied by them and perhaps nowhere in the world such act exists.
`He further said while protecting the interests of the tribes, the genuine interests of the settlers are also taken care of by proper measures. For instance, he said, the administration relaxed the Buffer zone notification to exclude 34 settlement villages from the buffer zone limit and thereby reducing the buffer zone limit from 838 Sq Kms. to about 700 Sq Kms. However, any activities that affect the interests of Jarawas are strictly prohibited in these areas.
Expressing concern over the outside contacts with the Jarawas, he said the Outside intervention with the jarawas were not taking place inside the ATR road, but only in other areas. He revealed that 14 hotspots including Thirur were identified for outside contacts with Jarawas in violation of PAT regulation. He said according to reliable information, bartering is taking place between jarawas and outsiders in these areas. He firmly said that the administration will take stern action against the violators to protect the Jarawas from any form of exploitation.
He also hoped that the two day seminar would answer many questions revolving around the lives of the aboriginal tribes of these islands who are gradually emerging out of their traditional life style.
The Director of ASI, Professor K K Misra dwelt at length on the important activities and projects of the organisation with special focus on the prestigious People of India project covering the entire length and breadth of the country. He also informed that a study centre will be opened at Port Blair to offer academic counselling to the IGNOU students of M A course in Anthropology.
The Deputy Director of ASI regional Centre at Port Blair, Dr M Shashi Kumar informed that a photo exhibition on Island cultures of India is also put up at the venue as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the centre in collaboration with Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalay(IGRMS) and it will be kept open for the public for the next six months. The Superintending Anthropologist, A Justin proposed thanks. In the two day seminar, experts from different parts of the country will present 25 papers in 2 sessions, besides three special lectures by the eminent anthropologists. (PIB)
