Sarthak Kanjilall
Port Blair, March 17: After the hostels in various colleges in Port Blair, were closed and the students were told to leave the hostels as a preventive measure against COVID- 19, students of Nicobar Group of Islands were up for a rude shop, when they were denied ticket in Nicobar bound ships M V Campbell Bay.
Though the precautionary step by the college authorities was welcomed by the students, the unavailability of tickets in ships to travel to their natives brought enormous troubles for around 120 students since yesterday.
This morning when the students reached the STAR ticketing counter to get tickets for their hometown viz Kamorta, Katchal, Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Campbell Bay etc, the students were told that the tickets are sold out for the ship that was scheduled to sail tomorrow.
Struggling for tickets, the students ran ‘pillar to post’ but they didn’t receive any support from the authorities.
Around 35-40 students also sat for protest in front of the Secretariat, this afternoon, it is learnt.
Meanwhile, on information, the President, National Student Union of India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. MA Sajid swung into action and he approached the Shipping Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, District Commissioner, South Andaman, offices of Director, Directorate of Shipping Services and also the Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and finally, after making the bureaucrats understand the difficulty the students may face if they don’t get the ship tickets for their native, the tickets were later issued.
“Limiting tickets in ships to 50% following COVID-19 would have left these 120 students to spend their night on roads, these 120 students also include girls, the authorities must think on all aspects before making a decision or else they should keep a Plan B ready for such odd situations,” said Mr. MA Sajid.
However, NSUI president thanked the authorities as they understood the problems of all the Inter-Island students and finally issued them the tickets to go back home safely.
