Blitz Bureau
THE Government has initiated steps to acquire Bitra Island in Lakshadweep for defence and strategic purposes, triggering strong reactions from local residents and political leaders. The Lakshadweep revenue department issued a notification on July 11 announcing a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) as part of the land acquisition process reported by The Times of India (TOI).
Strategic location
Bitra is one of the ten inhabited islands in Lakshadweep, which comprises 36 islands in total. The Union Territory is spread across 32 square kilometres in the Arabian Sea, located about 220 to 440 kilometres off the coast of Kochi, where the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command is based.
Consent not mandatory
According to the official notification, Bitra Island’s “strategic location” and “national security relevance” are the key reasons behind its proposed acquisition. The department of revenue has been named the project developer, and the SIA is expected to be completed within two months. The notification mentions that consultations will be held with stakeholders, including gram sabhas. However, it clarifies that their consent is not mandatory under the existing land acquisition laws. Bitra Island is home to 105 families. Many of them have raised concerns about the move and expressed opposition to the project.
Lakshadweep MP Hamdullah Sayeed has opposed the proposal and criticised the administration’s approach. In a video statement, he urged residents to remain calm and assured them of his support. “As your MP, we held a conference that included leaders from Bitra and Lakshadweep and discussed it in detail. We have decided to fight with the people of Bitra, politically and legally,” he said to TOI. Sayeed also questioned the administration’s earlier acquisition of land on other islands and asked why Bitra had been chosen this time. He raised concerns about the lack of consultation with local residents before issuing the notification.
The Modi effect
Lakshadweep drew national attention earlier this year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the islands in January. He shared photos of his visit on social media, highlighting the region’s natural beauty and developmental potential. The visit came soon after a diplomatic row between India and the Maldives, where three Maldivian deputy ministers had made derogatory remarks about India and the Prime Minister. Their comments sparked public outrage in India and led to calls for a boycott of the Maldives as a tourist destination.
Following the incident, Lakshadweep saw a surge in domestic tourism interest, with many promoting the islands as an alternative travel option.
