Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Oct 13: The Andaman Nicobar Administration has sealed the Flat Bay Island this morning at around 10:00am. Nearly 15-16 staffs of Police Department and Revenue Department jointly went to the Flat Bay Island and fixed boards stating “this land belongs to the Revenue Department, trespassers will be prosecuted” and sealed all the huts in the Island and asked all the workers staying in the Flat Bay to immediately leave the island.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, Tanaz K. Noble, co-owner of a farm land situated at Flat Bay Village, alleged that entire process of vacating the Flat Bay Islands was illegal. “When they could not take the land from us through legal measures, they have resorted to trickery,” Miss Tanaz alleged.
“We were served a notice on Friday, the 9th of October, followed by an Order by the Deputy Commissioner at 7:00 pm the same day informing us that our land is to be evicted by the 12th or else possession of it will be taken over by the Tehsildar, Ferrargunj,” she added.
While Noble family claims that Flat Bay Island belongs to them as they have all necessary legal documents and land records, the Administration thinks otherwise and the battle over the land is continuing since last few decades.
When Contacted the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Dr Arun Kumar Jha said that on 6th or 7th of October a hearing was conducted on the DC office, where it was decided that the Flat Bay Island belongs to the Administration and as per the DC’s instruction a notice was served to Noble family to vacate the land and as per the notice the administration took over the land today.
He further said that no one from the Noble family came to the administration asking for extension of time and this is the reason we have sealed the land as per the notice.
“Only today we got a letter that they have moved to court for a Stay but the letter was vague so the district Administration went ahead with the sealing. Regarding non availability of officers at Port Blair, everybody knows on behalf of SDM, AC Settlement looks after the charge and there was another officer who was looking after DC’s charge as well,” he clarified.
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