Port Blair, May 17: Following the announcement of lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 in the country and in the Islands, EHL has been taking various measures to ensure sufficient availability and smooth distribution of essential commodities in the Southern groups of Island Mr. Ameen (General Manager EHL) lead his team to control the initial panic purchase and hoarding has subsided to some extent, all shops of essential commodities like groceries, vegetables, fruits, milk and bakeries are catering to the demands of the people across the Car Nicobar Districts Administration.
• PDS ration for the months of April and May 2020 has also been issued by the Dept. of CS &CA to the Fair Price Shops. The ration card holders can avail ration for two months at one go.
• The concerns about possible shortage of LPG, rice, pulses and atta are being proactively looked after and resolved by District Administrations with support of EHL ships ensuring supply of essential commodities across the Southern part of Islands expediting supplies. Nicobar district, shops of essential items are 13 EHL shop at Car Nicobar open from 8 am to 2 pm.
• Emergency needs thereafter are catered by home delivery. The availability of essential items continues to be stable and projected future requirements are being catered to on priority.
• EHL, Central Tribal Cooperative Society Ltd. of Car Nicobar, is owing thirteen FPS, which covers all the 15 villages of Car Nicobar.
• Shop are open selling ration articles and essential commodities by strictly maintaining Social Distancing.
• Sufficient Stock essential commodities are kept available to meet the requirement of the general public during the period lock down.
• EHL PETROL PUMP in Car Nicobar maintain sufficient stock of Petrol and Diesel in the Island to meet the requirement of administration during the lockdown period. Sales of Petrol and Diesel is been maintained as per the direction of the administrator (DC, Nicobar).
• LPG supply in Car Nicobar is also been maintained properly by EHL. Sufficient stock is kept available.
• Procurement of Copra and Betlenut is also been continued by EHL from its member societies (the 15 Panam Hinengo).
• Since these are the only agriculture produce of the farmers of Nicobars, from which they earn for their daily bread and needs. Inspite of having challenges for selling the produce in mainland to the buyer during this lockdown period EHL doesn’t stop butting to support its members, maintaining social responsibilities.
• All the above activities are maintained properly just because EHL is owing Two ocean going ship namely M V Bay Island and M V Ebrahim ALI Hussain. Both the vessel are Cargo Vessel, having the carrying capacity of around 2200 MT each.
• M V EAH has made a voyage from Port Blair to Cast Nicobar on 30/03/2020 carrying the following essential commodities.
• Diesel for Elect Dept. 94 KL, Provision, onion, potato, egg etc. 116 MT. Diesel for Petrol Pump 200 drums, Petrol for PP 40 drums. Medicines for BJR Hosp. 195 boxes. LPG 1200 cylinders. ATF for IAF C/N 1022 drums.
• Diesel for ISF C/N 500 drums. & 10 Petrol also for IAF. Total 600 MT Cargo Carried. All are essential commodities only. Another vessel m v Bay Island sailed for Hut Bay yesterday on 04/04/2020 carrying only 100 KL of Diesel for Electricity Dept.
• Hut Bay and 600 boxes of medicines for PHC H/Bay. Diesel was very urgent because electricity Dept. was running in short of diesel to maintain the power supply uninterrupted. Total cargo carried 103.5 MT only all essential.
• EHL is also doing the stevedoring job in C/N, Unloading of cargo from ships. This is also we are continuing Inspite of running in short of workers/laborers during the lock down period. This also is very important job which can’t be stopped otherwise the supply chain will get dislocated. Of course by maintaining social distancing and wearing PPE gears. In the Southern groups of Islands EHL is doing big effort for transportation of essential commodities across the Islands.
