To:

Write to:
Mrs. Sonia Gandhi
Chairperson
National Advisory Council
10, Janpath
New Delhi 110 011

Dear Madam,

I am writing to bring to your attention the twinning project between Phuket and Port Blair, which will to have devastating effects on the Andaman archipelago. While fostering tourism, stepping up trade and commerce, promoting education and culture seem to be a good idea for both the countries, there are several long-term ecological; economic and cultural implications that need to be measured before jumping into a project of such a scale.

We have already seen that Phuket has lost much of its natural riches and resources to the marauding tourists that visit the region season after season. Now with close to nothing left, it has turned to the Andamans to ‘promote’ tourism.

If there is anything that we need to learn from the December 26 tsunami, it is the need to protect our fragile ecosystems and natural barriers such as beaches and expanses of mangroves that will ensure the integrity of the shoreline. If we are to 'twin' Port Blair and Phuket, it would mean taking on vast construction projects – hotels, roads, jetties, air bases et al, all of which would overlook these imperatives. How will the islands cope with the increased waste that will be generated by all these activities?

We cannot forget that the islanders are fighting for their own survival. Food, water are in short supply and need to be obtained from the mainland of India. Increasing tourist numbers will only add pressure to this region. Further, Phuket has already asked that Thai fishermen be permitted access to the Andaman and Nicobar waters for more than the stipulated ‘one month’ period that are they are currently allowed. Apart from the fact that the Thai fishermen are notorious for their environmentally-disastrous fishing techniques, we do not have any sort of fisheries policy to prevent errant fishing practices or over fishing, both of which will spell disaster for the local fishermen. One of the main reasons for the Thai demand is believed to be the fact that their own waters are now increasingly barren due to overfishing and destructive fishing practices. All this would further threaten the survival of the natives such as the Jarawas, Onge, Shompens and Sentinelese, casting doubt on the future of these races.

Ecologically speaking, the inter-island traffic that will be caused by the large ships frequenting the region and the resultant emissions and pollution will spell a disaster for the fragile and endemic marine life in the region, endangering dolphins, reefs and other kinds of fish and contaminating the very waters.

There are social implications, which include the nefarious narcotics, human and wildlife trafficking trades that will strip the islands of all its riches. Surely the stakes are too high for us to experiment with 'putting the Andamans on the international tourism map'.

I earnestly request you to reconsider this proposal and look into the islands real needs to ensure a better and safer life for the natives and the marine life that characterise the islands.

Sincerely,