Andaman's Jarawa Tourism in controversy again

Port Blair, June 11 (UNI) With growing discomfort among Jarawa activists and local residents, The Andaman and Nicobar Tourism department has once again warned tour operators not to conduct visits to the areas inhabitated by the primitive tribes.

An official notice released today said that the tour operators would face severe penal action if they conducted 'Jarawa Tourism'.

However, K Ganeshan, chief spokesperson of Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee told UNI today that the notices were just for show as everybody knew Jarawa Tourism was openly conducted.

More than 500 tourists visit Jarawa area in privates buses and vans tricking the law of this land, he said.

Ganeshan said for 'Jarawa Tourism' every tourist is charged Rs 550 and officially it is shown that all of them were visiting Baratant Island via Andaman Trunk Road (ATR), which cuts through Jarawa Reserve Area. ''On the way tourists are shown Jarawa tribes, in their primitive form, living in jungle,'' he added.

The tribal areas come under the islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulations Act, 1956, and the Jarawas being one of the primitive tribes of these archipelago should not be promoted as tourist attraction under any circumstances, department's Deputy Director Vinod Kumar had stated in an official order.

The administration had earlier restricted entry to these areas and did not allow people to visit these areas for tourism purposes, the order added.

Meanwhile, some tips had been prescribed for the tourists visiting tribal areas through the 340 km long Andaman Trunk Road.

The Tourism department has advised visitors not to allow the Jarawas to get into any tourist vehicle and not to stop vehicle in the Jarawa area.

''We have warned tour operators not to indulge in photography and videography in Jarawa reserve areas,'' the official release said.

Many tour operators in Andaman are allegedly conducting 'Jarawa Tourism', which is considered to be a lucrative business in Andaman.

UNI