Port Blair, Apr 29: The Andaman and Nicobar Administration today issued rejoinder to Times of India for the news item “Boycott Andaman & Nicobar Islands campaign begins in Britain” in the edition dated April 20, 2015.
Administration said that in the news item it is stated that the Survival International, a UK based NGO has started its malicious campaign against Indian Government, especially, the Administration of Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands on the imaginary ground that ‘Human Safari’ is thriving in tourism sector in the reserved forests of Jarawa tribe, in the islands.
“The Administration would like to place on record, the following factual details for better appreciation of the issue at hand. Statistics available with the Administration clearly reveals that allegation of human safari made by International Survival is false and in fact malicious. A small percentage of tourists who visit the eco-tourism related places like Mud-volcano and Limestone cave at Baratang Island, etc. travel on the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR). This road connects Port Blair the Headquarter of the UT with the villages of North & Middle Andaman District with the length of 333 km and also passes through Jarawa Tribal Reserve in two places for a distance of 56 km. The islanders living in the North & Middle Andaman district depend on the ATR for their day to day movement. The archipelago of Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a splendid tropical out-post of India and it presents a landscape of scenic and picturesque extravaganza housing endemic varieties of flora and fauna, beautiful and unexplored beaches etc., which attract national and international tourists in reasonable numbers. During the year 2014, there were 285000 Indian tourists and 17200 international tourists who visited these islands,” the rejoinder said.
The Administration claimed that it is regulating the traffic on the ATR by way of convoy system at fixed travel timings, under the close supervision of a Senior officer in the rank of Inspector General of Police. As per the stated policy of the Government and the Regulation made by the Indian Government, no outsider is permitted to interact or take photograph or videograph the tribe. Due to strict penal action taken by the enforcement authorities, there is negligible violation reported from the ATR from the year 2012 onwards and where it is noticed in any force, strict action is taken as per law.
“The UK based Survival International advocates that closure of Andaman Trunk Road will avoid exploitation of Jarawa tribe by tourists. The organisation glosses over the fact that the closure of ATR will create discomfort and untold miseries for the 1.5 lakh population who have been settled in the North & Middle Andaman District as per Govt. policy since Independence. The Government has to protect the interests of both indigenous community and the settlers. Over a period of time, these communities have understood each other and are living harmoniously in the neighbourhood. It is apprehended that the UK based NGO is trying to disturb the harmony and create conflict between the communities by advocating closure of ATR,” the rejoinder further said.
The Central Government notified the Jarawa policy in the year 2004, according to which the density of traffic on the ATR would be reduced, by encouraging use of alternate sea-route by the tourists between Port Blair and Baratang Island. The Ministry of Shipping, Govt. of India has therefore sanctioned the project of Alternate Sea Route to Baratang at a cost of Rs. 45 Crore. The navigational survey and Environment Impact Assessment Study have been completed. The UT Coastal Zone Management Authority has conveyed their clearance and the Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI is in the process of according environmental clearance. The Ministry of Shipping has entrusted the execution of the project to its own agency, namely, Andaman Lakshadweep Harbour Works (ALHW). The said agency is taking all steps to complete the project at the earliest. This will provide sea connectivity option to the tourists, after the project is completed, which will in turn further reduce the density of traffic on ATR.
The Administration has notified 1028 Sq.km area of land for the exclusive community use of Jarawa tribe, where no outsider is permitted to enter. The trained welfare staff of Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samity (AAJVS) along with renowned Anthropologists deal with health and other issues and provide necessary support as per approved policy.
The Administration has also set up “Andaman & Nicobar Islands Tribal Research and Training Institute (ANTRI)” to suggest appropriate policy initiatives in due consultation and dialogue with the indigenous communities. The Institute has also initiated series of measures to train and orient welfare staff on issues of indigenous rights to land, access to health, education and cultural custodianship. The Tribal community has been completely insulated from any contact by the passengers travelling on the Andaman Trunk Road through the regulated convoy system of movement. Further, a periodical of surveillance has been put in place to secure western coast of South and Middle Andaman islands, bordering Jarawa tribal reserve, from intruders/poachers. Three layers of surveillance through Joint patrolling parties in seaward side of the western coast involving Navy, Coast Guard, Police Marine Force, AAJVS and Forest Department have been formulated. The Inspector General of Police has been notified as the Chief of Joint Operations at UT level and the District Superintendent of Police as Operational Command of their district.
The International Survival is very well aware of the initiatives taken by the Administration for the very constructive process of dialogue with the Jarawas in the Administration of welfare. The Survival International was in fact invited to participate in the proceedings of an International Seminar, organised by the Administration in December, 2014, where many of the issues were openly discussed and debated by national and international participants. The Administration strongly believes in transparency while dealing with the Tribal issues. The technical paper sent by the Survival International was also read out and discussed in the Conference. The Survival’s malicious suggestion that the A&N Administration has remained indifferent to the concerns they have raised is pulpably false. Inspite of possessing the knowledge of the policy initiatives that the Administration has undertaken vis-à-vis Jarawas and the other Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, Survival has chosen to mislead people through false propaganda for their own gains. The vertebrative attack being carried out by the NGO will, in no way, help the Jarawa tribe community, and on the other hand, it may jeopardise the fine balance that has been built between the habitat of settlers and the Jarawas over a period of time.
The Administration has the mandate to protect and preserve the interest of the Tribes and therefore is “Responsible and Accountable while the others are not. The Hon’ble Lt.Governor, A & N Islands has laid down his vision of “Comprehensive Development, whilst keeping ecological concerns and tribal issues to the fore”. There cannot be a firmer commitment of our resolve, the rejoinder added.
