Rats infested vessel turns into Junkyard:::::MV Hut Bay Stationed at Campbell Bay since last five months

Staff Correspondent

Campbell Bay, Sept 01: On one hand Islanders of Andaman and Nicobar Islands suffer due to lack of vessels while on the other hand a vessel, MV Hut Bay is stationed at Campbell Bay for last five months mainly because of Ego Clash and also because shortage of Surveyors.

Today the vessel MV Hut Bay with 15 crew members, stranded at Campbell Bay, wears a deserted look. Some of the crew members are said to be suffering from Typhoid as the water and food provided to them are worst in nature.

Photographs available with Andaman Sheekha shows that the ropes provided for M.V Hut Bay are very thin, A/Cs are not working and the Monkey deck of the ship is full of rust.

In any vessel, a good Anchor is a mandatory requirement but in MV Hut Bay both the anchors are not working.

The crew members reported about the condition of the ship to authorities on 20^th June 2014 but they got no reply again on 10^th July 2014 a complaint letter was sent to Kolkata Headquarters.

It is believed that this led to eco clash and finally one surveyor refused to give single voyage fitness to the vessels to come back to Port Blair, which resulted in this crisis. Meanwhile the ‘A’ certificate of the ship expired on 31^st July 2014, making the issue more serious.

Situation is so bad that now some staffs are spending money from their own pocket for minor repairs in the ship with a hope that they will be able to come back home soon.

The vessels have now been overpowered by Rats, which can be seen anywhere and everywhere inside the vessels. Rat are not only damaging the food items inside the vessel but also making the living conditions very difficult inside the vessels. Crew members allege that often Rats bite them at night when they are asleep. According to crew members if fumigation is not carried out immediately they will surely fall ill.

Talking to Andaman Sheekha the Director of Shipping Services, Capt. Rajendra Kumar said that the problem is largely because shortage of surveyors as Andaman has only one IMD surveyor and one IRS surveyor.

He said that the DSS need surveyors at Port Blair on daily basis and sending surveyors to Campbell means hampering routine works at Port Blair.

“We are now planning to a team of Surveyors to Campbell Bay on 5^th September 2014 by helicopter so that the clearance is given by him after inspection. If tickets are available the surveyors will be able to go on 5^th September,” Capt. Kumar added.

He also added that the problem was also because crew members of the vessels who kept on complaining and writing complaint letters.

“When asked to sail in Campbell Bay region they said that the vessel is unfit but when asked to sail back to Port Blair they said the ship is fit to sail. How it is possible? Now they are trapped in their own trap as the Surveyor has refused to give clearance for single voyage sailing without inspection. It is infact because of  some crew  members who are unnecessarily complaining.  Crew complained that is why it happened. Because of complaints the MMD did not allow the ship to sail back,” Capt. Kumar added.