Port Blair, July 25:On 24.07.2018 Shri Bishnu Pada Ray in reference to previous letters/Parliament question/ decision of the IDA meeting and also in reference to the discussion held with the Professor N.N.Jha the than Lt. Governor of A & N Islands in Raj Niwas on 09.07.20103, the issue of allotment of 1.5 hectors land to the Sri Lankan Tamil Settlers has been once again raised in the Parliament. In his submission in the parliament , Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, M.P briefed that after execution of an agreement between Shri Lall
Bahadur Sashtri Ji, the than Prime Minister of India and Shri Bhandernayke, the than President of Sri Lanka in the year of 1976, the Indian origin Tamil community of Sri Lanka have been settled in Little Andaman and at Shoal Bay under South Andaman District and all them were allotted 2 Hectors land under colonisation scheme. Whereas, the 48 families settled in Katchal Island have been allotted only
0.5 Hector land.
Since disparity, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, M.P was one again raised the issue in IDA meeting held in Andaman under the Chairmanship of Shri Atal Bihari Bajpayee Ji, the than Prime Minister of India in the month of January,2003. In the said IDA meeting, it was decided to maintain equal status for all Sri Lankan settlers and to allot remaining 1.5 hectors land to the 48 families settled in Katchal Island.
Due to delay in the matter, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, M.P was once again raised the issue in the Parliament vide Unstarred Question No.1145 on 20.03.2012. In reply to that, the government assured to allotment of 1.5 hectors land in compliance to the decision of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji .Even after assurance, no action in the matter has been taken by the Administration and the matter is lying un-settled since past 42 years. Hence, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, M.P. once again requested to the Hon’ble Speaker to issue necessary direction to comply the decision of Shri Atal Behari Bajpayee Ji, the than Prime Minister of India and to allot 1.5 hectors land to the 48 families in South Andaman District
within 15 days.
