THELIGHTOFANDAMANS: COVER STORY | Interview: HAR MANDER SINGH, IAS Former Chief Commissioner (1972-75)

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

COVER STORY | Interview: HAR MANDER SINGH, IAS Former Chief Commissioner (1972-75)

THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | VOL 36 | ISSUE 04 | 15 NOV 2012

Interview: HAR MANDER SINGH, IAS

Former Chief Commissioner (1972-75)

Prerogative of Govt. to Lay Down Policy on Land and Tribal Rights

Mr Har Mander Singh, IAS was the Chief Commissioner of Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1972-1975. During his tenure, the Settlement of Nicobarese in Little Andaman came up. The Settlement is named after him. Mr Har Mander Singh, who stays in New Delhi replied to The Light of Andamans through email on a few queries related with the Settlement in Harminder Bay.

What was the rationale behind resettling Nicobarese in Little Andaman, far away from their natural habitat and cultural environment?

I was in the Islands during 1971-74. The Nicobarese population had grown and we needed more virgin land to settle them. On the other hand, Little Andaman Island was still being developed. It had sparse population and needed more people to settle on it and help its growth.

The authorities thought that the area of what is now known as Harmander Bay in the Little Andaman Island would be suitable for the settlement of the first batch of the people from Nicobar Island, who may be willing to migrate to the new habitat. It would be a beneficial step for both the Nicobarese people and the Little Andaman Islands. The representatives of the Nicobarese people visited the area and approved of it and the settlement was established. People were happy to settle in new environment

Did you foresee any conflict in the future on land and tribal rights?

One did not foresee any complaint in future about land and tribal rights. It is the prerogative of the Government to lay down the policy in such matters.

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About The Light of Andamans

The Light of Andamans’ was born out of the zeal and determination to fight against the suffocating Kafkaesque atmosphere on the society that existed even after 30 years of Independence under bureaucratic rule. It was a hangover of the ‘Raj’that extended much too long in the Islands.

The Light of Andamans’ was started in 1975. The paper had always been a crusader, taking up the causes that no other newspaper would touch. In doing so, it very often stepped on the toes of the authorities and had to face persecution in the form of denial of advertisements and numerous court cases against it. For a small stint, the publication came to a halt in 2003.

Gezira Publications Private Limited took over the paper in the year 2005 and transferred the title in a bid to revive the second oldest newsmagazine from extinction and also to carry forward the mission.

The Newsmagazine, under the new management, has undergone a sea change both in form and content. It turned into a full-fledged tabloid with 10 pages with plenty of photographs making both pleasing to the eyes and soothing for the mind. “It has acquired a position where it influences the policies in vital matters concerning the development of the islands, protection of aboriginal tribes and addressing the problems of the disadvantaged groups. The newsmagazine is known and appreciated for its bold, free, fair and balanced reporting.”

Late Govinda Raju and his team worked very hard to rebuild the reputation, goodwill and a healthy new image of the newsmagazine brick by brick. After the demise of Mr Raju in 2010, the magazine is now being edited by Zubair Ahmed and published by Basudev Dass. The newsmagazine continues its mission of highlighting policy issues pertaining to the Islands.