NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over the alarming increase in the general population in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an Expert Committee on the Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) has recommended immediate steps to restrict the influx of people to the island.

It has also suggested chalking out of separate policies for each of the four local primitive tribes there.

The expert committee, set up by the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry to look into the policies and action for the primitive tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, held its first meeting here.

It was of the opinion that the vehicular traffic on the Andaman Truck Road passing through the Jarawa Reserve should be diverted via the sea route and construction work on the road, running through the middle of Great Nicobar, should be stopped immediately.

There are five primitive tribes namely Jarawas, Shompen, Great Andamanese, Onges and Sentinelese, on this group of islands.

The committee, chaired by the Union Tribal Affairs Secretary, was of the view that while a policy already existed for the Jarawa tribe, there was a need to put in place separate policies for the remaining four PTGs at the earliest. It has recommended formulation of the policies within three months and stressed the implementation of the existing policy for the Jarawas. Certain additional efforts were necessary if these tribes and the ecology of the islands were to survive, it said.

While a carrying capacity study has been commissioned to arrive at the optimum level of population the islands can sustain, it was not advisable to delay action until the results of the study were available.

There was a lack of sensitivity amongst the general population in the islands regarding the situation of the PTGs.

They are being seen as a "curiosity item" and owing to the impact of various activities, they are on the brink of extinction. In the case of two PTGs — Andamanese and Onges — who are in full contact with the general population, the education being imparted needed to be carefully looked at and quickly reviewed, it said.

Onges, which lived in Little Andaman islands, had been badly affected by the increase in population of settlers.

Activities of these people, including poaching and felling of trees, affected the ability of the Onges to sustain themselves as a hunter-gatherer tribe.

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