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Andaman
& Nicobar Islands A
paradise of unparalleled natural beauty By
Prof. Ram Kapse, Lt. Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
What an air traveler sees as the plane starts its final descent
towards the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a vision of enchanting
beauty--brilliant green islands fringed with coral reefs floating in the
vast blue of the Bay of Bengal. A
modern airport capable of handling Airbus A 320 aircraft receives at least
three planeloads of passengers--tourists, government officials and local
residents--daily. The wide,
clean roads are full of busy small cars and scooters. Conspicuous by their
absence are the ubiquitous cycles and rickshaws that clog the roads of any
Indian city. So are the
beggars. Shiny new buildings
rise from amidst the ‘wood and tin sheet’ houses of the penal colony
days, visible indicators of growing prosperity.
Hoardings advertise mobile phone services. New hotels and tour
operators beckon the tourists. Special
cruises to Barren Island, the ‘only active volcano of India’ are fully
booked. Port Blair, the
sleepy capital of the former penal colony, is fast emerging as a bustling
tourist destination. The
tourists are excited about the visit to Barren Island, mud volcano, coral
viewing, Sound & Light show at the Cellular Jail National Memorial and
enjoy the sight of the luxuriant tropical forests. They would also visit
Chidiya Tapu, famous for its glorious sunsets. The foreign tourists have
their eyes set on the Radha Nagar Beach on Havelock Island, reputed to be
one of the best in Asia. They
would prefer scuba diving, snorkeling and game fishing.
However,
the Islands are not just a tourist paradise.
They are the country’s bulwark against any misadventure by a
foreign power. They are
symbols of the country’s defence preparedness.
They are our sentinels in the sea.
A Unified Command keeps watch over the vast coastline and guards
the Exclusive Economic Zone, which, at 0.6 million sq.kms. accounts for
30% of the total EEZ of India. Foreign
poachers are regularly rounded up during the patrolling. It is the rich
fishing grounds that attract them. Routine
exercises with neighbouring countries are carried out in the Island
waters. The
Islands are also home to a variety of rare plant and animal species.
Nicobari Macaque, Saltwater Crocodile, Imperial Pigeon, Narcondum
Hornbill, Megapod, Dugong, a wide variety of orchids and plants are among
the flora and fauna found in the Islands. The large biodiversity
and the unique eco systems attract naturalists and scientists from
the world over. Forests cover
over 86% of the Islands leaving only 50,000 ha for cultivation.
A Supreme Court order protects the forest against any degradation.
Encroachments on forestland are not tolerated. For
anthropologists the Islands are the only place in the world where Stone
Age tribes could still be found in their native habitat. The Sentinelese still live in total isolation on North
Sentinel Island, shooting an occasional arrow against low flying aircraft.
The Jarawas go about their hunting-gathering way of life in the
Jarawa reserve. Contact between non-tribals and tribals is strictly
regulated by the Tribal Welfare Department and the Andaman Adim Janjati
Vikas Samity. The 50 strong
Great Andamanese, once the most numerous, lead comfortable lives on Strait
Island. The Onges fish and
hunt in their tribal reserve on Little Andaman.
The presence of these negrito tribes, related more to the African
tribes, on the Islands is still a mystery.
The Shompens of Great Nicobar are also a ‘primitive’ tribe but
more akin to the mongoloid tribes of Indonesia.
The Nicobaris are well educated and compete in the national and
international arenas for medals in water sports, cycling and football.
The negrito tribes on the Andaman group, surprisingly, had a
premonition about the tsunami and moved to higher ground.
The worst sufferers were the coastal dwelling Nicobaris who were
taken by surprise. Educationally
the Islands are among the most literate among the states, ranking 8th
in the country. The literacy
rate according to the 2001 census is 81.8%.
Schools are to be found even in the remotest areas.
The tribal Nicobar district has achieved 100% enrollment in
schools. The “Government BR
Ambedkar Polytechnic” has ISO certificate and NBA accreditation. In
the area of Primary Health care the Islands rank first among the UTs.
PHCs can be found even in sparsely populated islands.
The referral hospital at Port Blair and the district hospitals at
Car Nicobar and Mayabunder are equipped with modern diagnostic equipment
and tele-medicine facility. Almost
all medical facilities are free. Fisheries,
high value agriculture, horticulture, spices and medicinal plants have
been identified as thrust areas. Absence
of pollution, slow and comfortable pace of life and reasonable prosperity
make the Islands and ideal place for those who want to get away from the
madding crowds of cities. There
is need to preserve this ambience. The
Earthquake and the Tsunami of 26th December 2004 made it
imperative that the plans for the future development of the islands be
redrawn and the priorities re-scheduled. The
devastation wrought by the tsunami brought in its wake a wave of sympathy.
From the President of India to the common man, everyone rose up to
come to the aid of the people. Liberal
contributions to the Lieutenant Governor’s Relief Fund helped speed up
relief and rehabilitation efforts. NGOs
who came to work for a few months stayed on and involved themselves in
more work. Some intend to
stay for five years to rebuild the damaged schools and construct permanent
houses. Some came up with the much-needed medical infrastructure in a
remote island by building a small hospital. Livelihood restoration is
another area where the NGOs are actively involved. The media played a
positive role and supported the Administration’s efforts.
In a unique show of solidarity the Officials, people’s
representatives, NGOs, the media and the common man worked as a well-knit
team in tackling the crisis. There
was not a single day of panic or confusion.
Fortunately not a single tourist was killed or injured during the
earthquake and tsunami of 26th December 2004.
The most popular beaches and tourism infrastructure were
unaffected. Tourists are once
again thronging to the Islands in large numbers.
The Island Tourism Festival, a fortnight-long mega event during the
tourist season, will start on 30th December 2005.
Many celebrities from the world of cinema and folk arts will grace
the occasion. A festive
atmosphere prevails in Port Blair during the season.
An advertising campaign has been launched in the print, television
and Internet media. Some of
the major hospitality chains are showing interest in investing in the
islands. The ITDC is working
on a project to enhance the infrastructure facilities on some of the
Islands. With all round
buoyancy in the sector, it can be hoped that the Islands would be able to
project themselves as a major tourism player in the days to come. In
spite of the magnitude of the disaster the Islanders have shown remarkable
resilience in recovering from the effects of the tsunami.
A year after the tsunami there is renewed hope among the Islanders
for a bright and prosperous future. Source : The Hindu |