E Arun
Port Blair, May 19: Believe it or not more than 300 Pigs are roaming freely in Prem Nagar area of Port Blair city, claim residents of the area. The situation is so bad that in several pockets of Prem Nagar area, ward number 4 pigs are creating havoc inside residential areas too.
“The problem of stray pig menace is getting worse. They enter inside our house with all dirt and germs. Because of stray pigs entire area looks filthy,” said a resident of Prem Nagar Basti.
Residents allege that those who are rearing pig inside city, are getting political support and hence no action is taken against them. Moreover, pig rearing has become a very lucrative business too, hence some government officials get their cut on time, to keep their mouth shut.
“We are reeling under pig menace. Long back it was decided by PBMC that rearing of pig should only be undertaken from Brookshabad village then how come the pigs are roaming freely in Prem Nagar areas?” questioned a shop owner of Delanipur.
Andaman Sheekha Correspondent had met the Secretary of PBMC, Mr. Rakesh Bali twice in past with this issue and in both the occasions the reply was simple “Within one month we will shift all the pigs to Brookshabad.” It seems that the one month will never end.
Sadly, even in third time when Andaman Sheekha Correspondent met the Secretary of PBMC the reply was same.
“Earlier there was a pig shelter at Brookshabad, which got damaged and we are now re-constructing it. Within one month sheds for pigs will be ready at Brookshabad. Construction of Sheds takes time for walls, roofing etc. After construction we will handover the sheds to Pig rearers,” the Secretary of PBMC said.
When asked about the reason behind the delay in construction of shed he said that the matter was pending since last many years and nobody was willing to take up the work.
