Wednesday, February 23 2005 15:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Port Blair: Andaman and Nicobar Islands authorities are planning serious action against some journalists for entering reserve areas and taking photographs of the highly endangered aboriginal tribals without legal permits during news coverage of the tsunami tragedy.

"At least two journalists of different national news channels had illegally entered the tribal reserve areas with cameras. The administration has taken this seriously and action will be taken soon," State-run Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti executive chairman K C Ghosal said.

Various pockets of the archipelago are marked as tribal reserve areas where six endangered tribal groups live and entering inside these areas without valid permission is illegal. "Even aircraft are not allowed to fly close these areas," he said.

"They (TV journalists) have not only entered the reserve forest but have also taken photographs, which is totally illegal," Ghosal said.

Andaman and Nicobar IGP S B Deol said, "We are waiting for the direction from the administration. Once we get that, we will take serious action."

Under the Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation, 1957 the offence invites prosecution and fines.

A local NGO, Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology (SANE) had brought the matter to the notice of the administration last month following which the chief secretary of the Union Territory, V V Bhatt had sought a detailed report on how some media persons could enter tribal territories and even photograph them against the law of the land.

The six aboriginal tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands - Jarwas, Onges, Shompens, Sentenelese, Nicobarese and Great Andamanese, are considered highly endangered and modern world's only link to the ancient civilisation. Thus various steps had been taken to protect them.

Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Prof Ram Kapse had also urged the media organisations, who shot the tribals inside the reserve areas, to deposit the films before leaving the Islands but it was learnt that nobody had done so.

Kapse's directive had come after SANE had written a letter to him alleging that some of the national TV channels had turned the 'aboriginals into a commodity by promoting shows" that portrayed them in poor light.

The NGO had also alleged that some Army officers, involved in the rescue and relief operation, had facilitated the visit of the TV journalists to the restricted tribals areas during the peak coverage time from December 27 to January 2 after the tsunami when the number of media persons in the Islands was more than 150.

Four exclusive sorties were conducted for the media by the Integrated Relief Command (IRC) over the tribal areas, it was alleged.

In an incident, already reported in the media, a team of media persons flew over the areas inhabited by Sentinelese provoking the aboriginal tribals to shoot arrows on the plane.