Port Blair, Jan. 24: The Special Leave Petition bearing No. 12125 of 2010, relating to the matter of Buffer Zone had come up for hearing before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on 21st January, 2013.
The Hon’ble Court has directed that till the next date of hearing, no tourists should use the Andaman Trunk Road till Feb. 26, 2013 when the matter will be posted for further hearing. As such the formal order of Hon’ble Court is awaited, said an official release from the A&N Administration.
The official release also said that the revised Buffer Zone Notification issued by the A&N Administration dated 17.01.2013, excluding the settlement villages from 5 km. radius of Buffer Zone was taken on record by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
However after hearing the submissions made on behalf of the A&N Administration by Shri Paras Kuhad, Addl. Solicitor General of India and other Senior Lawyers, the Hon’ble Court has directed that the Andaman Trunk Road could be used by the people residing in the settlement villages, Govt. Officials and other bonafide road users including those who transport goods and services to the settlement villages in the North and Middle Andaman District.
The above direction of Hon’ble Supreme Court should be implemented both in letter and in spirit and guidelines are being issued to the Govt. Departments concerned separately, said the official release.
The A&N Administration has advised all tourists to abide by the court directions. Tour Operators and others have also been advised not to take any tourist through Andaman Trunk Road, failing which legal action will be taken as per Law.