Port Blair, Mar 31: The Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs Mr. Mullappally Ramachandran has informed that government of India is taking necessary steps to resettle Andaman’s Sri Lankan Tamil Repatriates.
The Government of India, by a scheme under the Indo-Ceylon pact of 1964, had settled 48 Ceylon repatriates with their families in Katchal Island in the year 1974.
They were originally employed by the Rubber Board and later by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Forest Development Corporation Ltd, which is on the verge of total closer.
Each of the 48 settler families was allotted half an acre of land in Katchal Islands and they have been living there since then. Over past 35 years, their population has increased to 173 extended families.
In his reply to a parliament question raised by the lone Member of Parliament, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray recently, the Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs Mr. Mullappally Ramachandran has now informed that in order to relocate Sri Lankan Tamil repatriates from the Tribal area of Katchal and re-settlement at Shaithan Khari Rubber Plantation, a survey of persons of Sri Lankan Tamil origin was carried out.
“In 2009, the Rubber Board conveyed their -No objection- for transferring the land at Shaitan Khari back to A&N Administration along with existing 77 work men already employed in the plantation and subject to concurrence of Ministry of Commerce & Industry”,
The MOS further said, “The proposal also envisaged development of the plantation in a phased manner by re-planning on a cost sharing basis between the A&N Administration (50%) Rubber Board (43%) and the beneficiaries (7%) by way of labour. One more proposal to resettle them in South Andaman and North & Middle Andaman by locating an area of 98 hectare deemed forest land was also pursued”.
In 2003 in a meeting held in Raj Niwas, it was decided that the Deputy Commissioner, Nicobar and Director, Agriculture may formulate a definite package for shifting the families to Shaitan Khari.
“The options were taken up with the authorities concerned. In the meantime, the settlers filed a writ petition in the Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta sitting in circuit at Port Blair claiming for land and other issues. The matter is subjudice”, the MOS added.
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