Why in news?
The Lakshadweep administration-initiated acquisition of Bitra for defense purposes in 2025, highlighting its strategic Arabian Sea position; it would host the third naval base after INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti and INS Jatayu in Minicoy.
About
- Location: Bitra Island lies in the Amindivi subgroup of Lakshadweep, Union Territory of India, at coordinates 11°36′N, 72°11′E, approximately 483 km west of Kochi.
- Size: Smallest inhabited island with land area of 0.105 sq km, length 0.57 km, width 0.28 km at broadest point; features large lagoon of 45.61 sq km.
- Population: 271 as per 2011 census; residents mainly rely on fishing and coconut cultivation.
- History: Former seabird breeding ground until 1835; first permanent settler around 1945 was a woman from Chetlat with her son.
- Culture: Hosts shrine of Malik Mulla, an Arab saint believed buried here, serving as a pilgrimage site.
- Strategic Role: Key location in Arabian Sea for national security; recent plans for defense use amid resident opposition.
Resident Opposition
Around 271-350 residents, reliant on fishing and coconut farming, oppose the takeover, fearing displacement, livelihood loss, and ecological harm to the lagoon used by regional fishers. Protests highlight tensions between security needs and indigenous rights under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act.
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