Port Blair, Feb 03: The PCC President Kuldeep Rai Sharma has taken up the issue of Creation of two New Divisions in APWD namely Water Supply and Road Construction Divisions with the Union Home Minister Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde during the course of discussion at New Delhi. Kuldeep has stated that over a period supply of drinking water and roadways has been major concern for the islanders. It is ironical that even though our territory receives more than 3000 mm of rainfall every year, but if monsoon gets delayed by one month, the entire island goes in a state of anxiety as curtailment of water supply is done to the extent, that the residents receive water for 15 to 20 minutes only and that too after a gap of 3 to 4 days. No doubt a lot is being done at the moment to tide over the situation by increasing the height of
Dhanikhari Dam, execution of Rutland water supply project etc, but to have long term approach in resolving the issue through integrated water supply system and to handle the major water supply projects of the kind of Flat Bay water supply scheme etc, there essentially exist need to have a separate Division for water supply in Andaman Public Works Department.
Similarly, improved roadways in the islands with better connectivity is the need of the hour as beside making the portability of men and material simpler and economical it will also help in promoting tourism activities at various locations in the territory. The projects such as construction of bridges between Middle Strait and Nilambur, Gandhi Ghat and Uttara at the Andaman Trunk Road to eliminate use of vehicle ferries, the ambitious project of connecting Haddo and Bambooflat by way of Construction Bridge, construction of Andaman Radial Road etc, would necessarily require a separate division with professional from the requisite field. Hence creation of these two divisions of APWD will not only ensure better and speedy infrastructural development to serve the cause but will also generate employment opportunity of various categories for the unemployed youths of the islands.
Kuldeep has also stated that the proposal from the A & N Administration for creation of Water Supply Division and Road Construction Division has been submitted to the Ministry for approval and requested the Home Minister that early sanction to the proposal submitted by the A & N Administration may kindly be accorded by his Ministry.
