Port Blair, May 19: Kuldeep Rai Sharma, PCC President met the AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi on 17th May, 2013 and raised many issues related to the people of AN Islands.
Besides other issues, Sharma demanded for Compensation to Tsunami affected farmers, Special package for Employment Generation, Subsidy in Air India flight fare, Enhancement in MBBS seats for the students of A&N Islands and transferring the Management of ANIFPDCL to AN Administration.
For Tsunami affected farmers Kuldeep stated about the misery inflicted by the Tsunami of 26th December 2004 in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The residents of these Islands, particularly the affected ones are still to recover from the gloom and the financial crisis which they suffered due the devastating Tsunami.
He briefed Mr Rahul that there is a certain section of society, particularly the old inhabitants residing in South Andaman and Campbell bay who are yet to be adequately compensated for the loss which they have incurred due to permanent inundation of sea water in their agriculture land.
“These people, mostly belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC) Community were brought and settled by the Union Government under various settlement schemes. Prior to occurrence of Tsunami these people were earning their livelihood from the land under their possession. As the land under their possession was not found to be yielding any agricultural produce, the government sanctioned compensation to the tune of Rs. 9.33 lakhs per hectare of uncultivable/ inundated land but the same is payable only if the victim surrender the land,” he said.
Sharma proposed that the amount of compensation now being paid need to be increased to Rs.18.00 lacks per hectare of land as against the amount of Rs.9.33 lakhs per hectare now being paid.
“The victims receiving the compensation need to be allowed to retain the land under their possession and not to surrender to the government. This will help them to find a recurring source of income by utilizing the land for aquaculture/tourism activities etc. from the amount of compensation they receive,” he said.
In respect of Special package for Employment Generation, Sharma placed before Mr Rahul that growing unemployment in these Islands is a major concern for all including the A&N Administration as the same is inflicting a feel of despair, insecurity and helplessness amongst the youths.
“The local administration being the major agency to provide employment reached the saturation level and with virtually no major industry available to provide employment and with Honble supreme court imposing ban/restriction on extraction of timber and sand, the people engaged in the related industries has been rendered jobless adding much to the agony. The literacy percentage of this territory being one of the highest in India, it is an irony that most of the unemployed Islanders are well educated,” he said.
Demanding a special package for Rs. 3000 crores, Sharma stated that in an effort to find out remedy to this burning issue of unemployment, tourism sector, IT sector and fisheries sector in these Island, if developed and regulated in eco-friendly manner has maximum potential to flourish thereby generating employment/self employment besides earning revenue for the government.
As this Union Territory governed by the Central Government and the entire socio- economic development, growth and well being of the Islanders since vested with the Union Government, it is opined that a special financial package to the tune of Rs.3000.00 crores or as deemed fit may be sanctioned to the A&N Administration for development of these three sectors which will in turn help the Islanders in acquiring some sought of employment.
Demanding for subsidy in Air India flight fare, and Enhancement in MBBS seats for the students of A&N Islands Sharma advocated that Andaman and Nicobar Islands being distantly located from the mainland of India and situated in the Bay of Bengal is circumstanced with various limitations and one such being the mode of transportation /commutation between Island and mainland and its high cost. The people residing in these Islands for various obvious reasons are very often required to visit mainland be it a social commitment, higher/professional education, medical treatment, service etc. Journey by Ship though being cheaper is inconvenient as it consume 3 to 4 days and the frequency is also very less i.e. once in a week or so. Hence, for Islanders, performing journey by flight has become a necessity owing to reasons stated above. Perhaps perceiving this, various air lines operating in the Andaman –Mainland Sectors are charging exorbitant fares. A flight journey of approximately 2hours in Mainland Sector at any given point of time will cost around Rs.5000.00/- or so, where as in Port Blair – Mainland Sector it averages around Rs.10000.00 and goes as high as up to Rs.25,000/-. Such high cost of air fare also circumvents in flow of tourist and these Islands are witnessing decline in the tourist traffic.
Hence, in view of the above given explanation, Sharma demanded that, Mr Rahul to look into the matter and prevail up on the authority concerned to extend subsidy in the air fare as being given to the North East region. Ideally, airfare of Rs.5000/- for Port Blair- Chennai/Kolkata would be reasonable for the Islanders and justifiable for the Airlines too. Further Sharma has also stated that in Andaman and Nicobar Islands there is no Medical College, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, allots seats for MBBS from various Medical Colleges in Mainland to the Andaman & Nicobar Administration for the students of the Islands.
For past over two decades or so 18 seats of MBBS from various Medical Colleges in Mainland were allotted for students of our Islands. Considering the increasing strength of students and with no medical college being available in our Islands, a demand for 30 seats of MBBS was raised by our Party, which was agreed by the administration and accordingly a request was made by the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor & Administrator to the Ministry to increase the MBBS Seats to 30. However to the surprise of all of us the yearly quota of 18 seats got reduced to 17 seats during the academic year 2011-12. B the need of having more seats of MBBS and requirement of Medical College in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Hon’ble High Court of Kolkata’s Circuit Bench sitting at Port Blair in a Public Interest Litigation has ordered for opening of a Medical College in the Islands.
The necessary modalities involved in opening of Medical College in consultation with Medical Council of India is under way and till such time we have our own Medical College with increased number of Seats for the Islanders, it is requested that a minimum of 30 seats of MBBS may be got allotted to us from this academic session i.e.2012-13 onwards. Besides, Sharma has also demanded immediate transfer of the management of ANIFPDCL to AN Administration, construction of bridges in between Chatham and Bambooflat and other places etc Mr Rahul Gandhi gave a very patient hearing and assured to look into the matters with positive view.
