DJ Venkatesh
Port Blair, July 03: The Directorate of Shipping Services today refuted the news regarding switching of vessels for Diglipur without intimation. Officials, who do not want to be quoted said that a notice was published in local media in this regard so there is no point of doing something ‘without intimation’. He said that there was no staff of DSS at Diglipur Jetty because ship sailed at 5.00 PM and there is no point standing at the Jetty. He also refuted the allegation of sailing vessels without survey.
However, passengers who reached Diglipur Jetty on 28 June 2014 at 8.00 PM and found the vessel sailed out alleged that they got no intimation in this regard. “Not everyone read newspapers everyday. Altogether 12 tickets were already issued for MV Chouldari on that day. The Tally clerk says that there is no way to inform the passengers of remote villages about the sudden changes but they take phone number of every ticket purchaser and the address in requisition form, which they have made mandatory. Why can’t they call us and inform? Isn’t it carelessness and sheer negligence?” said an angry passenger.
“They should be very careful while changing shipping schedule. Such careless attitude puts many people in trouble. We will lodge an official complaint to the Lt. Governor and Secretary Shipping about this carelessness,” said another angry lady passenger.
