Sentinel Island incident : National Commission For Scheduled Tribe (NCST) expressed serious concern over activities of foreign tourists in Andaman &Nicobar  

NCST expresses serious concern over incident involving US National in A&N Islands

Seeks Immediate Report from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and A&N administration

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has expressed serious concern over the news report regarding one US National feared killed by protected tribe in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Calling this incident as unfortunate, the Commission has sought immediate report from Ministry of Home Affairs as well as Andaman and Nicobar Administration.

On 13th July, 2018 based on the complaint received from Prof. Vishwajit Pandya, the Commission had sought information from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Andaman and Nicobar Islands regarding relaxation of the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) for foreign nationals and tourism development in 29 islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The report of Ministry of Home Affairs as well as Andaman & Nicobar Islands is yet to be received.

The Commission had held a two day Conference on 27th and 28th June, 2018 to discuss critical issues concerning Particularly Vulnerable Tribes Groups (PVTGs) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The recommendations of the two day conference have been adopted by the Commission in its 107th meeting held recently. The commission had advised the Government to be ultra-sensitive to the vulnerability of the PVTGs in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and any attempt for tourism development etc, in these islands, which can create unwarranted and dramatic cultural changes for PVTGs, should be looked into and stopped forthwith.                      

Chairperson, NCST, Dr. Nand Kumar Sai has also written a letter to the Union Home Minister on 8th August, 2018, requesting him to safeguard the interests of tribals under Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulations in this regard.