MP Bishnu Pada Ray Calls for Pressing Motion for Resettlement of Sri Lankan Tamil Settler Households of Katchal Island

Tarun Karthick

Sri Vijaya Puram, 29 January 2025

Member of Parliament (MP) representing Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray has known as for pressing motion to handle the long-pending resettlement of 48 Sri Lankan Tamil households of Katchal Island. In a letter to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, Mr. Ray highlighted the two-decade delay in implementing a resettlement bundle for these households, who proceed to stay in deteriorating situations and not using a steady livelihood.  

The households, repatriated to India underneath the Indo-Ceylon Agreement of 1964 and 1976, have been briefly settled in Katchal Island, a tribal space, after being displaced from Sri Lanka. While 26 households have been resettled on income land in Little Andaman with agricultural land and livelihood assist, the remaining 48 households have been supplied solely 0.5 acres of land and daily-rated jobs within the Rubber Board, Katchal. However, the closure of the Rubber Board left them and not using a steady earnings, and their non permanent settlement in a tribal space has been a violation of the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes (PAT) Regulation.  

In 2003, throughout a high-level assembly chaired by the previous Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it was determined that the Andaman & Nicobar Administration would formulate a resettlement bundle for these households. The proposed bundle included 1.5 hectares of agricultural land per household, employment for 2 members per household, and financial assist. Despite this determination, no concrete steps have been taken to implement the bundle, even after 20 years.  

The Katchal Tamil Settlers Association approached the Hon’ble High Court, which directed the federal government to implement the resettlement bundle accepted in 2003. The problem was additionally mentioned in the course of the Home Minister’s Advisory Committee (HMAC) assembly in 2017, chaired by then-Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the place it was determined to prioritize the matter. However, no important progress has been made.  

MP Bishnu Pada Ray has raised the problem a number of occasions within the Lok Sabha, receiving written assurances from the federal government. Despite these efforts, the households proceed to face extreme hardships. Their dwelling quarters have deteriorated, posing security dangers, particularly throughout inclement climate. The closure of the A&N Forest Plantation has additional curtailed their technique of livelihood, leaving the group in a precarious place.  

In his letter to the Lt. Governor, MP Bishnu Pada Ray has outlined the next calls for to expedite the resettlement course of:  

1. High-Level Meeting: Convene a high-level assembly involving members of the Katchal Sri Lankan Settlers Association to debate and finalize a resettlement bundle.  

2. Timeline for Resettlement: Establish a transparent timeline for relocating the households to an appropriate income space and offering monetary assist.  

3. Approval of Package: Seek quick approval from the competent authority for the resettlement bundle primarily based on earlier selections.  

4. Special Committee: Form a particular committee chaired by a Commissioner-cum-Secretary to observe progress and full the required formalities for resettlement.  

The Sri Lankan Tamil settlers in Katchal reside in deteriorating situations, with their properties prone to collapse throughout heavy rains and high-speed winds. The lack of a steady livelihood has pushed the group into additional misery. The delay in resolving their resettlement has not solely violated their rights but additionally raised questions concerning the implementation of presidency selections.  

MP Bishnu Pada Ray emphasised the urgency of the matter, stating, “It has been over 20 years since the decision to resettle these families was made. Further delays will only exacerbate their suffering. The government must act now to provide them with a secure and sustainable future.”  

Copies of the letter have additionally been despatched to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Home Minister of India for his or her intervention and crucial motion.