Port Blair, Nov 25: The Member of Parliament of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested the Lt. Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands to resolve the issue of re-settlement package for shifting of more than 200 repatriated Sri Lankan Tamil settler families from Katchal Island’s Tribal area to Non-Tribal - Revenue area, which is pending since more than last two decades.

Originally there were 48 such families, which have now extended to more than 200 families.

In a letter addressed to the Lt. Governor, Member of Parliament said that following the decision taken by the Vajpayee Govt., in the IDA meeting during 2003, it was decided by the then Lt. Governor to shift these families by allotting 1.5 Hectares of land with financial package but till now these families have not received any package.

He mentioned that in 2010 these Sri Lankan Tamil Settlers approached the High Court for their resettlement and in 2012 the High Court directed the Administration to resettle them from Katchal Island but till now the resettlement plan has not been finalized by the A & N Administration.

The Member of Parliament also mentioned that the members of repatriated Sri Lankan Tamil settler families are going through a tremendously challenging time, many of whom do not have enough money to run their family.  As they live in Tribal area, many of them do not have sufficient job opportunities.

He said that after closure of Rubber Plantation in Katchal, where they were given employment by the Government of India, these families are starving without any other job or income source. The old rubber plantation quarters, where these families reside in Katchal Island, are in a dilapidated condition and are also a major threat to the life of these families, the Member of Parliament added.