Widespread resentment in Lakshadweep over a slew of bad law proposals

Discontent is simmering beneath the calm, verdant environs of the Lakshadweep group of islands over a slew of rules launched by the brand new administrator, Praful Khoda Patel in the final 5 months of his rule, which additionally noticed the archipelago descend from being a ‘COVID-free region’ for practically a 12 months into one with 6,611 instances till May 23.

COVID hit Lakshadweep after the stipulation for necessary quarantine of Dweep-bound travellers in Kochi was achieved away with beneath his stewardship.

The 10 inhabited islands of the Union Territory are beneath lockdown for 2 months now and the Dweep administration is accused of exploiting the lack of the general public to mobilise to push what’s extensively seen by the islanders as ‘arbitrary legislations’ which might be out of sync with the social, political and environmental realities of the archipelago. The newest draft regulation for the creation of a Lakshadweep Development Authority (LDA) is extensively resented because the individuals suspect that this might need been issued on the behest of ‘real estate interests’ looking for to usurp the small holdings of property owned by the islanders, a majority of them (94.8% as per the 2011 census) belonging to the Scheduled Tribes.

Hundreds of islanders have written to the administrator demanding that the proposed regulation be withdrawn.
 
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Hundreds of islanders have written to the administrator demanding that the proposed regulation, which makes “provision for the orderly and progressive development of land in both urban and rural areas and to preserve and improve the amenities thereof; for the grant of permission to develop land and for other powers of control over the use of land; to confer additional powers in respect of the acquisition and development of land for planning; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid” be withdrawn.

The regulation empowers the federal government, recognized because the administrator, to represent Planning and Development Authorities beneath it to plan the event of any space recognized as having “bad layout or obsolete development”. Only cantonment areas are exempted from this. An authority thus created could be a physique company with a government-appointed chairman, a city planning officer and three ‘expert’ authorities nominees moreover two native authority representatives.

The draft regulation defines growth because the “carrying out of building, engineering, mining, quarrying or other operations in, on, over or under land, the cutting of a hill or any portion thereof or the making of any material change in any building or land or in the use of any building or land…” These authorities are to arrange land use maps, perform zonation for kind of land use and point out areas for ‘proposed national highways, arterial roads, rings roads, major streets…. railways, tramways, airports… theatres, museums….playgrounds, stadia…”

The islanders opposing the plan have pointed out that the ecologically fragile islands are tiny and thickly populated. The largest of the inhabited islands is Androth with a landmass of 4.9 sq km area where the density of population is 2,312 per sq km. “What sort of highway or tram-way you are planning to construct in that area?” asks Koya Arafa Mirage, lawyer and leader of Nationalist Youth Congress.

The most sparsely populated is Bitra island where 271 people live in a 0.10 sq km area.

Arbitrary rules

One of the petitions seeking the withdrawal of the LDA regulation says the legislation vests such powers with the authority that it can prepare comprehensive development plans for any area and relocate people regardless of their will. It provides for forcible eviction, puts the onus on the owner to develop his holding as per the plan prepared by the authority as also to heavily penalise them in the event of non-compliance. “The island community is a close-knit group with families living in close proximity. The regulation will destroy the way of life practised by them for generations,” said an islander.

Further, proposals to bring real estate development concepts such as ‘transferable development rights’ to the island have raised the hackles of individuals who worry they might be pressured emigrate en masse. “The draconian regulation is neither ecologically sustainable nor socially viable and the people’s representatives were not consulted before drafting it. Also, it comes in the wake of a slew of bad law proposals including the ‘Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation’, a ‘goonda act’, in the Dweep which is known for the lowest crime rate in the country,” says Mohammed Faizal, MP from the Dweep.

As on-line campaigns to save lots of Lakshadweep is gaining power with celebrities together with actor Prithviraj elevating their voice in solidarity, Elamaram Kareem, Rajya Sabha MP, has written to President Ramnath Kovind urging him to recall the ‘authoritarian’ administrator. Mr. Kareem’s plea was in reference to the current ‘Lakshadweep Animals Preservation Regulation’ that bans cattle slaughter and commerce which he stated was proposed with scant regard for the islanders’ alternative of meals and livelihood. He additionally decried the transfer to elevate the restriction on use of alcohol in the Union Territory.