DJ Venkatesh
Baratang, June 02: The Zilla Parishad Member of Baratang, Mr. Kurma Rao today sat on an indefinite hunger strike since 11.00 AM in the afternoon infront of Panchayat Guest House, to press five long pending demands of the region. However public questions about the timing of the strike as all these years, when UPA was in power and PCC was on the front seat of Administration, never such strikes were organized to press the same problems.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha today Mr. Kurma Rao said that the demands raised by him are settlement of people of Chota Nagpur and Raipur, who were brought to Andaman for clearing the forest several decades back; De-reservation of 161 ha of forest land; De-reservation of revenue villages of Khatta Khari and Baratang and Upgradation of existing power house to solve the present low voltage problem in far flung villages of the area.
“In 2002 Hon’ble Supreme Court’s verdict the Hon’ble Court has ordered eviction of all Post 78 encroachers, which numbers around 453 in Baratang area. SC’s order must be implemented but on humanitarian ground they must be given some alternative options. I have learnt that efforts are on to remove these 453 people from Baratang,” Rao added.
Since last several decades people of Baratang region have been living under neglect. Due to severe shortage of revenue land the area do not even have proper space for new graveyard or cremation ground. Presently a few graveyards are situated in Forest Land.
