New Delhi: After the disturbing pictures and reports of exploitation of Jarawa women, there is something to cheer about as official figures reveal that the population of the tribe, said to be stagnant for years, is on the rise.
Population of the Jarawas who are one of the hunting-gathering Negrito tribes of Andaman Islands has gone from 240 in 2001 to 383 in 2011, Government today said. "Last 10 years the Jarawa population has gone up by 40 per cent," Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo told reporters.
"There are 141 children below 10 years and 99 in the age group of 11 to 20," he said quoting an official document.
Terming it as a "positive sign", Deo said his Ministry along with the Andaman administration would see that they get proper living facility, "their food needs are met, see that culture and tradition is well protected". Citing the exploitation of Jarawas that came to limelight recently, he said the Government would also ensure that "there is no exploitation of this sort."
PTI