Sri Vijaya Puram, May 4: Land misuse and illegal earth extraction—long under the scanner in South Andaman—triggered a fresh wave of enforcement this week, as the District Administration issued fines, reclaimed nearly 500 hectares of government land, and reiterated its commitment to curbing unauthorized activities across the district.
The enforcement actions included back-to-back field inspections in Pahargaon and Lamba Line, where revenue officials uncovered unauthorized excavation and dumping. In Pahargaon, violators were fined ₹65,600, while penalties in Lamba Line totalled ₹24,000. Authorities confirmed that nearly 162 cubic meters of earth had been removed without prior permission.
According to the District Administration, illegal mining, earth transportation, and dumping will not be tolerated. Strict penal action has already been initiated, and further monitoring is underway to prevent recurrence.
In a parallel development, the administration issued a significant land restoration order, reclaiming 493 hectares of government land from Andaman Plantations & Development Corporation Pvt Ltd after a 15-year legal dispute. The land parcels, located in North Bay, Minnie Bay, Mithakhadi, and Bamboo Flat, had been the subject of long-standing contention over the validity of original land grant terms.
Tehsildars of Sri Vijaya Puram and Ferrargunj have been instructed to update revenue records to reflect the return of these lands to government ownership. Officials said the land recovery effort had moved through multiple judicial forums over the years, and the administration maintained that the original terms of allotment were no longer valid under current regulations.
The administration has indicated that similar reviews of land holdings may be undertaken in other parts of the district. Simultaneously, anti-encroachment drives are continuing across South Andaman, aimed at reclaiming government land occupied through unauthorized structures—ranging from temporary huts to permanent constructions.
In one recent drive, officials said over 14,700 square meters of government land were reclaimed. The district administration has urged local residents to cooperate and report violations, noting that public complaints are increasingly forming a key input in enforcement strategy.
