Keralites have just shaken off the coconut oil price scare but the tree nuts are making the neighbours on the Lakshadweep island uneasy. Plucking coconuts just got risky and a bit complicated there.

The Lakshadweep administration has issued a new order to regulate the plucking of coconuts on the roadside. The order has been issued as per the relevant provision of the Bharahiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which deals with unlawful obstruction and public nuisance.

Under this provision, an executive magistrate can issue an order to remove the obstruction and nuisance, and no such order will be called in question in any civil court.

The Deputy Collector of Andrott Island has issued an order which says that any owner who intends to pluck coconuts on trees abutting a public road shall submit a prior intimation at least 24 hours in advance to the police and the public works department.

The administration has also issued a form to be filled in by the owner. It also mandates a time window. No plucking shall be done during school timings or at peak traffic hours and it shall be avoided during ship embarkation/disembarkation windows notified by the port.

According to the DC, coconut trees abutting public roads are being climbed and nuts are plucked without prior intimation or safety measures, obstructing traffic. Besides, it causes an imminent hazard to road users amounting to public nuisance, the order shows.

Besides the permission and time window, the authorities have also stressed the need for personal protective equipment for climbers and ground handlers. They shall use helmets and gloves and approved climbing gear has been mandated.

As a penal measure, the owner has been made personally responsible in case of any damage or injury arising from non-compliance. The administration has said that not obeying with this order shall invite prosecution and repeat violations may attract cost recovery for traffic management.

There are added instructions for site safety. Cones shall be placed around the trees ensuring a safety cordon of 10 metres. There shall be a supervisor on the ground and lookouts on both road approaches. The directions have been issued for Andrott and Kalpeni.

A research paper published by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute shows that the socio-economic fabric in the Lakshadweep islands is mainly supported by coconut and Lakshadweep islands are one of the original homes of coconut. As per the study report, coconut cultivation and production of copra is the major livelihood option for people of the islands.

The Department of Agriculture's estimates available for 2018-19 put the total production of nuts at 8.76 crore. The total area under coconut cultivation in Lakshadweep is 2674.87 hectares with a productivity of 32,573 nuts per hectare.