Sarthak Kanjilall
Port Blair, July 26: The Andaman and Nicobar administration anyhow managed to control the 33 Corona cases in the first and second wave by putting all its efforts, although, after the start of Air and Ship Services from the several states of mainland India, a huge spike in Corona cases has been witnessed in these Islands recently, and controlling it is now beyond the control of authorities; claimed Mr. Sanjay Chowdhury, Ex-General Secretary, Pradesh Congress Committee, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of India via an email, Mr. Chowdhury stated that after looking into the rise in the number of Corona cases, the Lt Governor of the Islands has appealed the islanders to follow all the guidelines to safeguard themselves from COVID-19 but, Islands being far-flung from the mainland India, it is a bit difficult to follow the given set of SOP.
“The positive cases reported since the last few days are 19, 19, and 31 giving the impression that there is community transfer and something necessary is needed to be done to stop the virus from spreading,” Mr. Chowdhuryclaimed.
Although the administration is asking the people coming from mainland India via flight or Ship to remain under home quarantine for 07 days, the same is not working just because most of the cases till now have spread from the people having travel history, Mr. Chowdury said.
“Also, several people who have travel history and are residing in slum areas of the South Andaman Districts like Dairy Farm, Haddo, and Shore Point are found positive because many stays under one roof in these areas, hence, home quarantine does not make any sense here,” he pointed out.
Mr. Chowdhury further stated the PM that the free Rice, Dal and Chana announced by him is not supporting most of the islanders as only sixty-two thousand people from the five lakh population of Islands are eligible for such ration card as a result of which many had to come out of their house in search of bread and butter.
Adding to this, the Ex-General Secretary, PCC stated that a political leader of a national party who was indulged in doing door to door propaganda for the party for the upcoming Consumer Cooperative Elections was tested positive.
“It is yet to be known that the said person has transferred the virus to how many and hence, the administration must defer all such upcoming elections without any delay,” Mr. Chowdhury added.
Stating several such examples about how the Coronavirus can impact the far-flung Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Chowdhury finally mooted the Prime Minister of India to send a panel of expert doctors in these Islands who can conduct a survey to prepare a separate set of SOP with the aim that Islands currently in danger may fight back the Corona.
