Member of Parliament addresses media on crucial issues like ANIIMS & conversion of land

Neeraj Kujur & Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, Aug 05: The Hon’ble Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, held a Press Conference at Port Blair today.

The lone MP from A & N Islands raised a plethora of issues during the press conference. He said that the govt. of India will start drilling for oil extraction from the Andaman Sea. The Ministry of Petrochemical is launching projects for exploring Andaman which is declared as EEZ. He further said that its project and a Norwegian petrol chemical company will start drilling to extract oil on 15th October 2024, for the first time in the history of these islands.

There are four projects of this type and initially three will be started. The budget of the project is 2500 crore, he said. One will be done offshore.

Speaking on solid waste management, he said three Wards in Port Blair may be benefited with electric supply produced by the use of solid waste, as affirmed by the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration. The acquisition/allotment of land required for this purpose is in the pipeline, he said. He further said he would visit other companies in Mumbai for exploring possibilities of setting up similar projects suiting the geographical features of these islands.

Then he lashed out at the Honourable Lieutenant Governor. He said in the press conference that Lieutenant Governor is the Chairman of ANIIMS and the board of directors and members are all IAS Officers, and the people of A & N Islands know well what is the condition of GB Hospital which is under ANIIMS. He further said that he has already started talking with experts on how to sunder ANIIMS from the non-technical officials and will put his best efforts to move forward the ANIIMS and function smoothly under the policies of govt. of India.

He then raised the question in respect of suspension of land diversion from 2019; he asked on what grounds the land diversion is pigeonholed if there was any statutory or executive order in its support. The suspension of land diversion into commercial has triggered unemployment in the islands, he alleged.

Then he said that the A & N Administration ceased the supply of DAP and urea to the farmers and as a result of which vegetable production cost has increased which in turn caused the vegetable price to go high as the farmers have to reportedly purchase these two prime fertilizers from black market at exorbitant prices.

He said that diversion of land into commercial will open up avenues for the unemployed youths and which is not happening sadly, he pointed out. And also urged the LG not to infuriate the youths of these islands, and since he was elected an MP he will continue to raise issues and become the voice of the people he said.

He further said that the LG, MP and PM are merely “janta ka sevak” and the LG is not bigger than the PM, he should realise this fact, the MP said. The Member of Parliament then asked what is the condition of all departments in A & N Islands and urged the LG to reflect on and deliver.