The Lakshadweep administration, which is beneath assault from the Opposition for its reform measures, on Thursday stated it was laying the muse for the way forward for islands in a deliberate method and to develop it on the traces of Maldives in 20 years.
Rejecting allegations that every one measures have been taken with out taking folks of the islands into confidence, Lakshadweep District Collector S Asker Ali stated those that are having vested pursuits and people concerned in unlawful enterprise have been finishing up propaganda towards the administration.
“Lakshadweep is very peaceful. It will remain peaceful. Now also in the islands it is very peaceful,” Ali advised a press convention right here in Kochi.
In response to prices by opposition events that Administrator Praful Patel unilaterally lifted restrictions on using alcohol within the Muslim-majority islands, he stated liquor permits got for some choose vacationer institutions and it was meant just for vacationers.
On the choice to ban cow slaughter, he stated as many states within the nation have enacted cow safety legal guidelines, so a legislation has additionally been launched in Lakshadweep on the identical traces.
“Only those who are associated with its illegal business and those who have personal interests are propagating against this legislation,” he claimed.
Asked concerning the resolution to exclude meat merchandise from the menu of the mid-day meal for college students, Ali stated this was a coverage resolution and within the mid-day meal menu, non-veg parts like fish and eggs are stored. This resolution was taken by a authorities committee after consulting many individuals together with fishermen.
He stated fish was included within the menu to advertise native fishermen they usually had pressed for that. “This is one way to promote them”, Ali stated.
Justifying the choice to introduce the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) within the islands, the official stated that is to verify incidents like drug abuse and growing circumstances referring to sexual abuse of kids.
“So when we plan to develop this island holistically we cannot compromise on the Law and Order fronts. Lakshadweep is very peaceful. But now few cases are emerging”, he stated, responding to queries on varied rules of the brand new administration.
The press meet was held amid mounting protest from opposition events towards “anti-people” insurance policies of administrator Praful Patel within the islands.
The collector additional stated the administration needed to develop islands like Maldives within the subsequent 10 or 20 years.
The islands are very important from a safety perspective.
“So we’re planning for a holistic improvement for these islands. From a safety perspective Lakshadweep islands are very important. So we can not take an opportunity.
“Basically, we wanted to prepare ourselves for the requirements of the future considering the past experience and present emerging situations,” Ali stated.
Noting that Maldives with the identical pure magnificence and comparable geographical location as Lakshadweep has emerged as an incredible tourism vacation spot on the earth, he stated even right this moment there are negligible services for tourism within the union territory.
He stated three eco-friendly tourism water villa initiatives are being developed by the Lakshadweep administration incollaboration with NITI Aayog, much like Maldives, in Minicoy, Kadmat and Suheli and work on the identical will begin from August this yr.
With this, tourism will get a brand new dimension and vacationers will get services for lodging and leisure whereas locals will get new alternatives for employment and enterprise.
“Keeping tourism in mind, liquor permits have been given at the selected tourist establishment, only for the tourists,” he stated.
The official stated the UT administration has taken steps to introduce freight from Mangalore port along with Kochi, to make sure the supply of important commodities on the islands positioned on the northern finish as they’re geographically nearer to Mangalore Port.
“The use of this sea route will reduce the navigable distance by about 75 nautical miles and save time of 9 hours, which will also result in a reduction in the cost of freight by about Rs 200 per tonne”, he identified.
Ali termed as “misleading” the propaganda that an individual with greater than two youngsters can’t be a candidate in theelection.
“It is clarified in this context that when this Panchayat Act is notified, its provisions will only apply to the parents of infants born after the due date of notification.”
Ali stated the administration has began steady work for the prosperity and brilliant way forward for all its residents, particularly fishermen, girls and youth of the Union Territory, “which is being left behind in the race for development from its brothers and sisters of the other Indian states/UTs.”
“In such a situation, the people whose vested interests are hit by the Administration are propagating misinformation campaign against it. All citizens are requested to participate in this journey of development led by the administration,” he added.
