No tourist will be allowed to interact with Jarawas: Centre
Dhananjay Mahapatra TNN
New Delhi: The Jarawa tribe numbering just over 300 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and facing extinction would soon be isolated from the commercial world and no tourist would be allowed to interact with them, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday.
Terming the Jarawas to be highly vulnerable to diseases and virus carried by urban population, attorney general G E Vahanvati told the apex court that no tourist resort would be allowed to function within a fivekilometre buffer zone created around their habitations on the western coasts of South and Middle Andaman Islands. One such tourist resort, which has been ordered to be closed, protested before a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and justice B S Chauhan and its counsel K K Venugopal said the decision was arbitrary as its business was in no way affecting the habitation of Jarawas nor interfering with their lives.
Countering this, Vahanvati asked why would foreigners and tourists need to come and interact or even watch the Jarawas. Appearing for the Lt-Governor of the Union Territory, the AG said the power to create a buffer zone needed to be exercised by the authorities to make the measures meaningful and effective in protecting the endangered tribal population.
But, the bench understood the pressing needs of the time and stayed judgment of the Calcutta high court circuit bench at Port Blair allowing the resort — Bare Foot Inns and Leisure Pvt Ltd — to continue commercial activity despite being situated in the buffer zone notified in recent years. Venugopal assured the court that there was not a single Jarawa within the five-km buffer zone and that the resort only had 10 tents. But, the bench said there was no question of any commercial activity within the notified area.
To ensure a rich resource of forest-based traditional food like wild pig, turtle, honey and fish, the Jarawa reserve area has been increased from 847 to 1,028 sq kms and the exclusive marine resource base has also been increased by declaring coastal water upto 5 km from the High Tide Line as a tribal reserve under the central policy.
Tourists at a beach in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
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