Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Apr 12: The lone Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray today informed media about various loopholes in the Disaster Preparedness of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and demanded shifting of people from low lying areas of these Islands, considering risk of any future disaster, like Tsunami.
Addressing a press conference the MP lauded the Lt. Governor for directing authorities to involve local media in Disaster Preparedness and all mock drills. “Lt. Governor during yesterday’s UT Disaster Management Authority meeting has said that local media has great role to play during any disaster,” the MP mentioned.
Highlighting the loopholes in the Disaster preparedness the MP said that in A & N Islands there are total six emergency operation centres, where they have fax machines, which never works.
He said that in these emergency operation centres there are no satellite phones, which is very useful during any disaster. He alleged that many crucial messages about tsunami warning did not reach remote islands of Nicobar District on time.
Mr. Ray demanded that to deal with any future disaster the Administration must shift all the people from low lying areas to higher grounds.
He demanded digital warning system and system for public display of warning in pubic places.
The MP said that many schools are not following the school safety norms. “For example condition of RBV is very bad, there is shortage of toilet blocks and students are sitting on the floor and studying,” he added.
He said that the Shorepoint Primary School has been designated as shelter for people in case of any future disaster but the school has only one toilet block.
Bishnu also urged the Administration to use all the unused government buildings of North and Middle Andaman for storing relief materials and essential commodities, which would save lives in case of any future disaster.
The MP said that he has already requested the Government of India to sanction Community Radio Stations for A & N Islands. “22 posts for disaster management have been sanctioned and I am trying to sanction more 140 posts,” the MP said.
