Port Blair, Dec. 29: CPI (M) has demanded to set up the industrial estate at the land allotted for the purpose at Lamba Pahar, Wimberlygunj which will benefit hundreds of unemployed youth of Wimberlygunj and surrounding areas. In a letter sent to the Lt Governor, A & N Islands, Shri D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) A & N State Organising Committee, who recently visited Lamba Pahad along with the Pradhan, Gram Panchayat, Wimberlygunj, said that no progress has been made for developing the said land for the purpose for which it was allotted.  

In his letter, Secretary, CPI (M) said that during 1996, 12.6 hectares of land in Survey No. 418/17 (4 hectares) and Survey No. 418/16/1 (8.6000) was allotted to the Industries Department by the A & N Administration at Lamba Pahad for setting up of an Industrial Estate, considering the growing unemployment in the Wimberlgyunj area. The Industries Department was about to establish large number of industrial sheds/units for allotment to unemployed youth of the area. Ayyappan pointed out that the Industries Department, due to unknown reasons, did not go ahead with the project and kept the land unutilized all these years.  He further told the Lt Governor that, in the meantime, the Industries Department had started exploring possibilities of setting up the Industrial Estates at some other parts of South Andaman and had opted to surrender the land allotted to it at Lamba Pahad (Wimberlygunj). 

CPI (M) Secretary said that during his visit, he was informed by the villagers that due to non-availability of land for expansion of the road leading to the proposed Industrial Estate project, the project was abandoned by the Industries Department.  CPI (M) Secretary, however, pointed out that there are three roads leading to the project site from the main road.   The villagers have pointed out that one of these existing roads can be made as a one-way road for heavy vehicles to enter project area and for exit, new roads can be built connecting the project site with the Wimberlygunj-Bambooflat road.  Sufficient land is available in the area for creating new exit roads.  CPI (M) Secretary further said that the Administration is not taking concrete measures to create such new roads and simply proposed for abandoning the project at Wmberlygunj which has created considerable resentment among the people particularly the youth of Wimberlygunj. CPI (M) suggested to the Lt Governor that a joint inspection of APWD, Industries Department, Revenue Department and PRI Members will solve the road related issues and the project can become a reality.

Ayyappan further pointed out that nowhere in South Andaman, the Revenue Department has such a large stretch of land to spare for setting up of an Industrial Estate in place of the Lamba Pahar project. This project is exclusively designed for the youth of Wimberlygunj and surrounding areas where unemployment is rapidly increasing. He requested the Lt Governor to order a review of the Industrial Estate Project at Lamba Pahar, Wimberlygunj and direct the authorities concerned to take all possible measures to set up industrial estate at the above-said allotted land.