Vintage Monday

~ An Article from 1978 ~

" Govt. Ways to Scare Andaman Tribals

 

  

The conflict of objectives of the administrators and the anthropologists in the Andaman islands has had adverse effects on the tribals.

This has been discovered by a three-man team of Delhi university college students who visited the island recently on a study tour sponsored by the ministry of Education under its "Adventure Scheme" project given to conduct surveys, explorations, etc. to youths.

Three students, Mandip Singh Soin, Dhananjay Date and Shumit Banerjee - all of St. Stephen's College - found the overzealous government officials anxious to bring the benefits of civilization to the tribals, have almost wrecked the latter's traditional way of life.

Ugly concrete huts have been built for tribals who normally prefer their self-made bamboo structures. The government has spent a few lakhs on the concrete huts, but the tribals instead continue to build their own bamboo huts next to them and prefer to live there. Even a good motorable road being constructed near the habitations of the Jarawa tribes has instead had the effect of driving away the pigs, deer, and the wild goats that they hunt for food.

The "invasion" by the settlers from the mainland in search of land available at cheap rates has also adversely affected the environment. No thought is given to the rapid deforestation that is being caused, nor is there any new attempt to blend the new buildings with the general architecture and landscape. Ugly, concrete structures are marring the once-scenic natural beauty, it was found.

On the other side, the medical authorities have been providing medical cover to even the remotest areas and are doing yeoman service in studying various diseases and their remedies. But there is little effort to utilize the islands for either their economic tourism value so much so that even World War II Japanese junks, which have historical interest,a re lying rotting at the entrance to Port Blair, half submerged in water, without any attempt to salvage them. The full project report is to be submitted to the Ministry o Education ad Social welfare in a month, the team said."