Port Blair, March 6: The Chairman, Port Blair Municipal Council, Shri PB Murugan, in a letter of gratitude to the Lt. Governor today said, “The recent Hon’ble Supreme Court verdict by a Bench of Hon’ble Justice G.S. Singhvi, H.L. Gokhale and Ms. Ranjana Desai disposing of as infructuous a Special Leave Petition on banning all kinds of tourist and commercial activities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands has come as a huge relief to the settlers residing in the Islands and the local unemployed tour and travel operators”.

Murugan further said, “This has come about due to the untiring efforts of the Lt. Governor and the A&N Administration under your able leadership, keeping in mind the livelihood of thousands of unemployed and the interest of the Islanders who use the Andaman Trunk Road as their lifeline”.

The Chairman PBMC on behalf of the islanders had extended sincere gratitude to the Lt. Governor for resolving this issue once and for all and relieving the islanders from all such uncertainties about their future, created by certain sections of the society with personalized agenda.

“This settlement of ATR issue would go a long way in taking the Islands forward with regards to its overall development and also safeguarding the interest of the Jarawas”, added Murugan.