Supreme Court bans tourism activities near Jarawa Tribal Reserve

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today banned all commercial and tourism activities within a five-kilometre radius around the Jarawa Tribal Reserve in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya upheld the notification to declare an area upto a radius of five kilometres around the Tribal Reserve as 'Buffer Zone' and prohibit entry of any person other than a member of aboriginal tribe into it.

"We, therefore, direct that henceforth no commercial and tourism-related activities shall be carried out by the administration or any private individual in violation of the prohibition contained in notification," the bench said.

Sending a stern message to the authorities to implement the order, the bench said that the government officials will face contempt proceedings in case of violation of the prohibitory order.

Earlier this year, a video of women belonging to the endangered Jarawa tribe being paid to dance for some tourists surfaced. The video had caused much consternation, with the Central government seeking a report from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration on the alleged exploitation of the Jarawa tribals.