Tourist facilities to Mainlanders; MP cries foul
:: Mohammed Sajid ::
Port Blair, Jan 23: The Member of Parliament, Mr Bishnu Pada Ray today demanded from administration to immediately forward the draft regulation to prescribe resident criteria in public employment to the Ministry of Home Affairs for promulgation by the President of India under Article 240 with proper justification, figures of non-locals employed in the last 10 years, applications received from mainlanders etc.
“This is possible because the same Administration got the PAT regulation promulgated under the same article 240 within 100 days. Not only this, the Cooperative Act and the Port Management Board was also promulgated in no time. Similar efforts are required to secure local jobs for only Islanders,” Ray said while addressing a press conference today. He said that Administration must follow states like Nagaland, Assam Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Karnataka in this regard.
Ray said that the Chief Secretary was informed in a meeting held in the month of September last year that nearly 5241 posts are lying vacant in various departments of the administration.
“A large number of daily rated workers have been serving various departments for years together and the Chief Secretary was urged to consider regularization of the set of workers as part firm DOPT orders issued in the year 2006. While, the services of some daily rated workers have been regularized, a majority in the class still await administrative action since the last five months,” the MP alleged.
He also attacked Administration for encouraging Mainlanders in Tourists Facilities like the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex. He alleged that Crores of equipments and machinery like Jet Skis, Glassbottom boats, Banana boats, Para Sail boats etc have been handed over to a Mumbai-based company, Ocean Blue. Similarly the Cafeteria in the complex has also been leased out to the same firm.
Attacking Congress on encouraging influx, Mr. Ray said that the ruling party even ignored the concept of former Prime Minister Late Rajiv Gandhi for introducing Inner Line Permit in these islands. The administration informed the Home Ministry that there is no evidence of population influx and the MHA did not consider the Inner Line Permit proposal, Mr Ray alleged.
