Question : REHABILITATION OF TSUNAMI AFFECTED FOREST TRIBES

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)

(a) Yes, Sir. The devastation caused by Tsunami in the Andaman and Nicobar has alienated areas of tribal forest lands but upsetting of the pattern of livelihood of these areas is not reported.

(b) The details of the forest and mangrove areas which have suffered damages due to Tsunami as per the report of Forest Survey of India are as under :-

Name of Island	Forest (in Ha.)	Mangrove (in Ha)	Total (in Ha)
Car Nicobar	376.48	0.92	377.40
Chowra	151.55	-	151.55
Tarasa	550.89	-	550.89
Bompoka	43.32	-	43.32
Katchal	2589.20	562.28	3151.48
Camorta	739.24	277.52	1016.76
Trinicat	286.63	176.30	462.93
Little Nicobar	594.43	49.37	643.80
Great Nicobar	6914.65	458.67	7373.32
Trak, Treis & Pulo Milo	48.24	-	48.21
Total	12294.60	1525.06	13819.66

For the development / rehabilitation of the affected Tribal areas the following Programmes have been launched / taken up:

(i) A Coastal Belt Plantation Programmes was launched in the year 2005-06 under which 102.09 hectare area was brought under Coastal Belt Plantation / Bioshield. The target for the year 2006-07 for raising Coastal Belt Plantation in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is 96 Hectare.

(ii) An Empowered Group of Ministers was constituted on 17th November 2005 to review and approve Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme prepared by Planning Commission and the supplementary Note from Ministry of Urban Development. Tsunami Rehabilitation Programmes was approved with an estimated cost of Rs. 9870.25 crores for the year 2005-06 to 2008-09 comprising of the following components :

(i) Rajiv Gandhi Package Rs. 1607.01 crore

(ii) External Assistance Rs. 3344.13 crore

(iii) Budgetary Support Rs. 4641.11 crore

(iv) Approved under Annual Plan of ANI and Pondicherry Rs. 278.00 crore

(iii) Other Ministries have also provided financial and other support under the Programme initiatives taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs in this context.