Port Blair | After securing the geographical indication (GI) tag for traditional 'hodi' – an outrigger canoe – the inverted helmet-shaped Nicobari hut could soon get the recognition, an official said.

Applications have also been sent for GI tags for Nicobari mat and virgin coconut oil, he said.

“We call it the ‘chanvi-pati-nyi hupul' (Nicobari hut) and we have applied for the GI tag to protect the rights and interests of our community from its misuse in the form replicas, which is commonly sold in many handicraft emporiums in the Union Territory and other parts of India,” Rashid Yusoof, chairman of the Tribal Development Council, told PTI.

“There are a couple of registered tribal welfare societies, and all of them have taken the initiative to get the GI tag for Nicobari hut, mat and virgin coconut oil,” Yusoof said.

A GI tag is a code for products that have a specific geographical origin and qualities. It provides legal protection to any unique product exclusively found in a particular region.

The Nicobari hut has its own uniqueness in terms of an eco-friendly design with wood and palm fronds, which maintains a pleasant temperature despite the hot and humid tropical climate of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The huts are also earthquake resistant, he said.

“Unlike other huts, these have a raised floor to offer protection from any attack by wild animals and during heavy rain. The inverted helmet-shaped structures are nearly 18-20 feet in diameter with a height of around 15-18 feet,” explained Yusoof.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is providing financial assistance for the entire process involving the GI tag, he added.