XI LOK SABHA DEBATES,   Session III (Winter) 

Tuesday, December 03, 1996/Agrahayana 12, 1918 (Saka)



Type of Debate: MATTERS UNDER RULE 377					

Title:	Re: need to review the decision re.  acquisition of further land in
Car-Nicobar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.


TEXT :  
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS): Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands are having two administrative  Districts  -  Andaman
and  Nicobar.  Nicobar District is inhabited by the Nicobari tribals who are a
peace-loving and  disciplined  people.  Car-Nicobar  is  the  headquarters  of
Nicobar District which is a small area thickly populated by the tribal people.
Time  and  again,  it  was  represented  to resettle some of the families from
Car-Nicobar to Little Andaman and about 300 families have already been shifted
to Little Andaman.  The  livelihood  of  these  Nicobari  tribals  is  coconut
plantation  and they live on horticultural operations. Unfortunately, in spite
of repeated requests, the Government have not allotted the promised  quota  of
land  to  the  Nicobaris  already  shifted from Car-Nicobar to Little Andaman.
Every now and then, for the Government  requirements  lands  are  acquired  at
Car-Nicobar and already this has reached the saturation point when there is no
further  scope  to  provide  any  more lands for other purposes. The Air Force
authority have acquired a substantial land at Car-Nicobar for the runway, etc.
Even some of these acquired lands are going into encroachments by  non-tribals
in  the  tribal area. I am approached by the tribal leaders that again the Air
Force is forcing for  acquiring  more  lands,  which  will  create  a  serious
situation in that part of the small and peaceful island.

	I would, therefore, like to draw the attention of  the  Government  of
India  to  look  into  the  problems  of  the  small Island territories of our
country, particularly the tribal Nicobaris, and to issue necessary  directives
to  the concerned authorities not to cause any provocative situation among the
tribals in the Nicobar District.

								(ends)


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