Order of the Supreme Court regarding rehabilitation of farmers from Andaman and Nicobar Island, 26/08/2019
Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of In Re: T. N. Godavarman Thirumulpad Vs Union of India & Others dated 26/08/2019 regarding rehabilitation of farmers from Andaman and Nicobar Island.
The 2004 Tsunami that struck the Andaman and Nicobar Islands washed away masses of land and many farmers lost their land. Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni had previously informed the apex court that there was hardly any land available for compensatory afforestation and already 87% of the land mass has been declared as a natural notified forest.
The SC directed the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change ((MoEF&CC) and Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Islands to decide the alternatives to compensatory afforestation and submit a report within six weeks.