Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), April 10: A long-pending rehabilitation and resettlement plan for forest encroacher families in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has drawn renewed attention, with thousands of identified families continuing to live without access to basic amenities due to prolonged delays in implementation.
Data indicates that around 515 pre-1978 and 3,463 post-1978 forest encroacher families have been identified across different parts of the Islands and are awaiting relocation under an official rehabilitation framework. Despite the scale and urgency of the issue, the proposal has remained unimplemented for over two decades.
The rehabilitation plan, prepared by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2003. However, the matter has since remained pending, primarily due to its linkage with proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, delaying any on-ground action.
Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray has now sought urgent intervention from the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister and the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, urging expedited action on the stalled process. The request includes an appeal for early hearing and disposal of the case before the Supreme Court to enable the rollout of the rehabilitation programme.
The continued delay has left affected families in uncertain living conditions, with limited or no access to essential services such as drinking water, electricity, healthcare, education and road connectivity. The absence of a structured resettlement mechanism has compounded challenges for these households, many of whom have been awaiting relocation for years.
The representation also calls for coordinated action between the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to ensure implementation of a time-bound rehabilitation plan. It further proposes a fresh survey and re-verification process to identify and include all eligible families under the scheme.
The issue has also been linked to broader concerns beyond humanitarian relief. The need to strengthen human settlements in coastal areas has been highlighted as a strategic priority, particularly in the context of safeguarding island territories from illegal activities such as foreign intrusion and poaching.
Ray referred to recent observations by Mohan Bhagwat, noting that enhanced habitation in coastal regions can contribute to national security by improving monitoring and presence in vulnerable areas.
The call for action underscores the dual significance of the issue, combining immediate humanitarian needs with long-term considerations of regional stability and planned development. Authorities have been urged to address the delay and ensure that the rehabilitation plan is implemented in a structured and time-bound manner.
