New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today reversed its January interim order banning the Andaman-Nicobar Trunk Road for tourists. The road cuts through a tribal reserve area in the Andaman and Nicobar islands where the endangered Jarawa tribals live.
Tourists are now hopeful that the road will be opened by today and they can use it to reach the Limestone cave, which falls in the prohibited zone.
There was outrage last year over a video that surfaced showing women belonging to the Jarawa tribe being paid to dance for some tourists. The video had caused much consternation, with the Central government seeking a report from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration on the alleged exploitation of the tribals; the Supreme Court in January banned the tourists from using the Trunk Road.
The court then asked the island administration to submit a notification detailing steps being taken for the safety of the Jarawa tribes.
The administration submitted the notification which declared area upto five km radius adjacent to the Jarawa Tribal Reserve as a Buffer Zone and that no commercial or tourist establishment is directly or indirectly allowed in that area.
The notification also said that no person should carry out any activity directly or indirectly which might be prejudicial to the safety, security and interests of the Jarawa tribe in any of the settlement villages.
After examining the notification on Tuesday, the top court cleared the decks for the road to be opened.
During the hearing today, the Supreme Court also examined the affidavit filed by local inhabitants who said that the Trunk Road was a vital link covering 400 villages from Baratang to Diglipur and it was being used to reach the only government hospital in the island.