Ganesh & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Dec 12: Dissatisfied with the recent order to increase one convoy of ATR from Jirkatang to Middle Strait the Baratang Tourist Fiber Boat Owners Association has now started relay Hunger Strike from 12 December 2021.
Earlier, on December 05, 2021, the Baratang Tourist Fiber Boat Owners Association (BTFBOA) began an indefinite peaceful protest at Baratang Jetty to press various long pending demands of the Association.
“The said order does not serve the purpose of attracting more tourists for North & Middle Andaman still, because the no. of vehicles allowed in each convoy remains the same and the same day trip of Baratang is still viable only via First Gate (7:30 AM). So technically, Tourists vehicle, now also have only one convoy for the same day trip of Baratang,” Mr. R Senthil Kumar, President of Baratang Tourist Fiber Boat Owners Association said in a letter.
It is learnt that Mr. Shantanu Thakur, State Minister of Shipping and Waterways, GOI who reached Baratang tonight is scheduled to meet the agitating members of Baratang Tourist Fiber Boat Owners Association before leaving for Port Blair.
Fighting for some genuine demands, the BTFBOA has been demanding to reinstate the Convoys between Jirkatang & Middle Strait as it was before Covid-19 pandemic; removing limit of vehicles in each convoy, which is restricting tourist footfall in Baratang Island; Revoking the mandate of taking 1-day prior permission from concerned Deputy Commissioners of South and North & Middle Andaman; expediting the process for registration/renewal of our fiber boats; one-time Registration of Fiber Boat at DC Office Mayabunder; withdrawing berthing charges on discarded vessels; Two separate lines at Ferrargunj for Covid Test one for passengers with single vaccine dose and one for double dose and to conduct Covid test for Middle Andaman visit one day ago.
