Question : MOTOR BOATS WITH A & N ISLAND ADMINISTRATION

(a) the strength and names of motor boats, LCT, motor launchers, engine dinghies and other vessels as on 1990, 2000 and 2009 in Forest Department of Andaman and Nicobar Island;

(b) the sanctioned manpower strength and the actual strength in place for running these vessels, category-wise;

(c) the number of boats which were functional during the said period;

(d) the number of personnel idling and the financial expenditure against them; and

(e) the alternate arrangements made for patrolling/protection?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a) The details of the names of the motor boats, LCT, motor launchers, engine dinghies and other vessels as on 1990, 2000 and 2009 in Forest Department of Andaman & Nicobar Islands are given in Annexure I.

(b) The sanctioned manpower strength and the actual strength in place for running these vessels, category-wise is given in Annexure II.

(c) & (d) All the boats and other vessels mentioned in Annexure I were functional during the said period; hence question of personnel sitting idle does not arise.

(e) During the 90’s most of the watercrafts were deployed for timber transportation through rafts and only occasionally watercrafts were deployed for protection purpose. With the improvement of road network, the protection activity has been intensified by way of deployment of more number of Executive staff in different remote localities of the Islands. In case movement from one Island to another is required, existing watercrafts are used for protection purpose.