Bitra island

The Lakshadweep administration is reportedly moving to acquire the entire Bitra island to transfer it to India’s defence and strategic agencies. This move has triggered significant fears among the island’s residents, who are concerned about displacement from their traditional fishing grounds and loss of livelihoods.

Impact of the Proposed Acquisition:

• Residents Affected: The acquisition would directly affect Bitra’s approximately 350 residents, whose livelihoods are primarily dependent on fishing and coconut cultivation.
• Crucial Lagoon Area: It would also impact a vital 45-square-kilometer lagoon area that is extensively used by fishermen from across the entire Lakshadweep archipelago.
• Community Hub: Bitra island, covering 91,700 square meters (0.091 sq km), currently houses a school and a health center, serving as a key community hub for one of Lakshadweep’s smaller populated islands.
• Legal Challenge: Residents have decided to challenge the acquisition move in court, expressing strong fears about losing their livelihoods tied to the island’s rich marine ecosystem.
• Legal Requirement: The acquisition process necessitates a social impact assessment under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013.

Strategic Importance of Lakshadweep:

• Defence Infrastructure: The Lakshadweep archipelago has long been considered crucial for India’s strategic defence infrastructure plans.
• Naval Presence:
  • The Indian Navy has maintained permanent facilities on Kavaratti island since the 1980s.
  • INS Dweeprakshak was commissioned on Kavaratti in 2012.
  • INS Jatayu was commissioned on Minicoy, the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, in March 2024.
• Coast Guard & Naval Detachments: Coast Guard stations operate on Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Androth islands, with naval detachments providing surveillance and reporting capabilities.
• Geopolitical Significance: The islands’ location along the Eight and Nine Degree Channels—deep water passages through which major sea-based trade from the Suez Canal and Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia passes—makes them strategically vital for monitoring shipping lanes and projecting naval power in the Arabian Sea region.

(Source: HT)