Endless controversy over Andaman Trunk Road

Port Blair, Apr 7: Controversy over the Andaman Trunk Road(ATR) still persists as international pressure groups and tribal rights activists keep forcing the administration to close it down.

The closing down of the 340-odd km Andaman Trunk Road, which connects Baratang, North and Middle Andaman, will affect government servants, traders, tourists and the settlers who depend on the road to a very large extent.

The Jarawa activists, however, claim that its 129-km-long patch, cutting through the Jarawa reserve forest of Middle Andaman is 'absolutely illegal'.

'Survival International' got the United Nations to endorse its demand for its closure in order to save the aboriginal tribes who are facing extinction.

The road was opened in the 1970s and people have grown used to it. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court had on May 2002 passed an order to close the road. The Andaman and Nicobar Administration have, however, been dragging their feet, obviously, not without reason.

''However, a tribe like Jarawas is also a precious heredity whose preservation and protection is our duty. They too deserve a chance to survive and survive on their own terms. They have, however, traveled too far in the the last few years,'' said chief of Diglipur Village of North Andaman Nagen Halder.

Mr Halder said that the Jarawas have learnt to take our food, wear clothes, speak Hindi and sing Hindi songs. They are also aware of a few laws and rules governing them and their territory.

''They know that it is illegal to hunt in their areas and trespass into their reserve and so on. They come down to local villages freely and barter their wares with the villagers,'' he added.

The 'tribal rights' activists are also apprehensive about the behaviour of the Jarawas in the event of the closure of the road.

They are not sure that the seggregation necessary for the survival of the tribe would follow, given the fact that they descend upon the villages as matter of routine to barter their wares. Now since the Jarawas know they are not likely to be shot dead anymore, even the closure of the road might prove an exercise in futility.

''Since the tribal rights group has raised the demand, it can't go back. To put it bluntly, even if the exercise fails, they are not likely to be affected, since none of them live in the islands,'' Mr Halder added.

''Nobody knows the exact formula to save the Jarawas. It is a trial and error method that is applied. However, pressure groups with international backing of unaffected people can create enough pressure upon the Indian Government and in turn on the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to close the road.

There are hundreds of Human rights groups and NGOs who are now working against Andaman Trunk Road for them have changed the Jarawa behaviour.

''They get food and clothes and even diseases from the people traveling on the ATR. The Jarawas can be seen almost everyday on the ATR begging, sometimes threatening tourists for money and food,'' Subhasis Ray, the General Secretary of HELP (Healthy Environment and Less Pollution), an NGO said.

Mr Ray said that the ATR is responsible for this behavioral change in the Jarawa tribes, who are only a little more than 200 in number.

This is roughly the main agenda of most of the NGOs and Human right groups who demands to close down ATR.

If and when it comes, it would not come with a warning.

''One fine morning the islanders would find that there is no ATR any more. The administration would struggle to find an alternative to resume regular ferry services between North and Middle Andaman.

However, there are not enough suitable boats in good condition,'' says Basudev Dass, an old resident of Andaman who frequently travels from South Andaman to Middle Andaman thought ATR buses.

The shipping department of Andaman and Nicobar Islands finds it difficult to provide vessels for harbour ferry, the routine that was maintained for decades.

''There are almost 100 vessels with the department but not one suitable for any purpose. We have written to the authorities regarding this time and again, but there has been no visible improvement in the maintenance of the vessels,'' Mr Dass added.

Mr Dass, among others who are now habituated with ATR feel that it is high time for the local Administration of Andaman to draw a concrete programme to meet the immediate need of vessels suitable for each type of service.

''Merely increasing the number of fancy vessels at the cost of the taxpayer would not serve the purpose. We should not be caught napping if the closure of ATR comes through,'' he says.

UNI