Port Blair, May 13: The Member of Parliament, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray has raised the issue of eviction of forest land encroachers in Middle Andaman, during the zero hour in the Parliament on May 12. The MP informed that out of the 4.50 lakhs population of A&N Islands, nearly 5000 family consisting of 50 thousand populations are residing in the Middle Andaman on forest land since last 40-50 years. However, recently they were served notices by the DFOs to vacate the land.
Further, Mr. Ray, referring to the decision taken in the IDA meeting held in Andaman during 2003, informed the Parliament that Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee the then Prime Minister of India, being the Chairman of the IDA, had decided that those families residing in the forest land since and prior to 1978 should be rehabilitated with financial assistance.
Hence, Mr. Ray has requested the Parliament to direct the Administration to bring a rehabilitation package by allotting 15 acres of land with financial assistance to each families residing in the forest land since 40-50 years, a communication from the MP’s Office here said.
