Port Blair, Apr 08: Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Member of Parliament, A&N Islands has taken up following issues with the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands on 08.04.2020 requesting therein to consider the same as welfare measures for the Islanders in view of COVID-19.
That a large number of our Islanders gone to mainland with very limited amount of money according to their travel plan for various purposes such as medical treatment, education and other domestic purpose have been stranded at various locations including our guest houses at Chennai, Kolkatta etc. As of now they are facing great financial hardships to bear their routine normal life due to shortage of money and it will also be unsafe for them to prolong stay at mainland since the cases of Corona virus is increasing day by day at mainland. At this juncture, it is our responsibility to bring back our Islanders safely to their respective destinations by making special arrangements since our Islands is cut off from mainland.
Keeping this in view, he requested the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands to make necessary special arrangements for shifting of all the stranded Islanders from mainland to Port Blair through special flights on free of cost to deport them to their respective place of residence to protect their lives at this distressed situation.
The MP further stated that to save our Islands from spread of COVID-19 disease, the stranded peoples at mainland on their arrival to Port Blair may be kept under institutional Quarantines for undergoing pre-medical examination as per the protocol fixed by the Government of India.
That the payment against the various goods and items provided or work done by the various traders, contractors of Govt. orders suppliers, Small Scale Industries/Enterprises, Government Contractors including the running bills of contractors are pending with the various departments under A&N Administration and Local/ autonomous bodies including Defence/MES establishments in these Islands for clearance for which reference has been invited to the specific instructions of Ministry of Labour & Employment, GoI, New Delhi and Labour Commissioner of A&N Administration as per which direction are issued to the employers in the private sectors not to retrench their workers in view of lockdown imposed and pay their wages on time. Hence, he requested the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands to pass necessary directions to all the government departments and other local/autonomies bodies including Defence/MES establishments in these Islands to clear all the pending payment of aforesaid private traders/contractors immediately in accordance with the provisions of General Financial Rules.
