Port Blair, Jan. 11: Vide an unstarred Parliament Question No.2570 dated 9/12/2011 Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament had raised the matter regarding implementation of Govt. Notification dated 30/10/2007 regarding Buffer Zone. Ray wanted to know whether the Supreme Court order dated 1/8/2011 is implemented in its letter and spirit, and the action taken by the Director (TW) for implementation of the Court Order. He also wanted to know as to whether commercial, tourism activity if  any took place in the Buffer Zone after the Court Order dated 1/8/2011 amounts to contempt of Court.

In reply Shri. Mehadeo Singh Khandela, State Minister of Tribal Affairs informed the MP that tourism related establishment activities in the Buffer Zone is already closed by A&N Administration and the matter reported to Supreme Court on 13/12/2010. However, livelihood activity like ration shops, tea stalls, grocery, cloth shop etc. of the village living in Buffer Zone area are continuing. According to A&N Administration, there is no contempt of Court. To implement the Court Order, the A&N Administration has reduced number of convoys in ATR from Jirkatang to Middle Straight from 8 to 4 and submitted a proposal for amendment to PAT Regulation 1956 to MHA.