Port Blair, Apr 26: The major chunk of land in A&N Islands is under forest cover and land is scarcely available for other uses such as agriculture, dwelling and developmental projects.
Out of the available land earth cutting, leveling, transportation and dumping of the earth are required to develop the same for various purposes.
However, to keep the ecology of the Islands and to maintain the environmental balance, the cutting of earth and its movement from one place to another requires clearance and permission of the concerned Deputy Commissioners, which is given strictly based on the recommendations by the field functionaries based on the importance and requirements of the activities to be carried out on the particular land.
Keeping in view the huge demand for such permissions from the local populace, to have a free and transparent procedure to grant permission for earth cutting and maintain the ecology of the Island and address the environmental concerns.
Further to have a check on the illegal activities that are being reported over the whole process, Mr. JitendraNarain, IAS, Chief Secretary, A&N Islands has envisaged that the entire process may be made online immediately.
Mr. Narain had in this regard, discussed with the officials of the Revenue department wherein he has directed that special attention may be given to scientific earth cutting and also to monitor contour cutting of the earth and the entire process of involving the grant of earth cutting permission may be made online at the earliest.
Further directed to take stringent and strict actions against those who are involved in illegal earth cutting activities. The Chief Secretary also directed that the field functionaries should keep pictures of pre and post-status of the particular land for records and future references.
Acting on the directions of the Chief Secretary, the District Administration under the guidance of the DC(SA) has already started to work on the modalities to develop a software for grant of permission for earth cutting and shall make the entire process online mode very shortly.