Gracy Tripathy & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Dec 17: The Deputy Commissioners of Nicobar District recently visited Katchal Island to interact with the Tamil Settlers of Katchal Island, who are staging protest and relay hunger strike demanding resettlement since past several weeks.
Taking to Andaman Sheekha over phone on Thursday the Deputy Commissioner of Nicobar District Mr. Kishore Kshirsagar Lakshman stressed that the matter is in the knowledge of Administration and the Administration is not sidestepping on this issue.
He said that according to him the present protest is “really unnecessary” and no problem will be solved with such protest. “I requested them to come and talk with Secretary Level officials,” he said.
When asked whether according to him the demands raised by the Tamil Settlers are genuine, he said “I would not want to comment whether the protest is genuine or not. What I would like to say is after 2017, the District Administration has done whatever possible for their welfare, like giving work under MGNREGA and solving issues with local certificates. There were some issues with electricity in some quarters and also there were frictions on certain points with tribal council, we sorted out all issues. Whichever issues were under the purview of District Administration have been sorted out,” he said.
He said that district Administration is ensuring that there is harmony between the settlers and tribal council. “We have been solving all their problems and in coming days also we will continue to do that, whatever is under the purview of District Administration,” he added.
The DC said that the present matter of rehabilitation is under the purview of Secretary, Revenue, A & N Administration.
He said that the purpose of his visit to Katchal Island was to try and convince the Settlers to call of their agitation and also to meet them and solve their local problems.
