Port Blair, Oct 11: Coast Guard conducted Special Community Interaction (CIP) programme on 10-11 Oct at Karmatang and Durgapur Villages in North Andaman to spread awareness on Coastal Security and Maritime Safety. Programme included Search and Rescue(SAR) demonstration by Coast Guard Helicopters, display of Survival Equipment and Lectures on Coastal Security and First Aid.
On the occasion free Medical Camps were organised in collaboration with the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS), Port Blair. Four medical specialists Viz. General Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Dermatology from ANIIMS and three Medical officers from Indian Coast Guard assisted by local Government Health Centre staff examined the patients. The Camp at Govt. Sec. School, Karmatang provided free check-up, treatment and medicines to approx 350 local fishermen and families of Mayabunder district. More than 500 fisher folk at Diglipur including from far flung Panchayats of Shibpur Keralapuram Radhanagar Subhashgram Kishorinagar and Kalighat attended the camp at Govt. Sec. School Durgapur. Certain families from distant panchayats camped overnight to avail the medical facilities.
The special CIP and medical camps at North Andaman were coordinated by Coast Guard District Headquarters No.9 Diglipur. Coast Guard has acknowledged assistance of govt. departments/organisations including ANIIMS, Dept of Health Services Education and Forest Police Panchayat leaders and local agencies towards endeavour for service to people of A&N Islands. Similar Interaction Programmes have been conducted by Indian Coast Guard all over Andaman and Nicobar during Sep-Oct to create awareness of multi-agency state-level Coastal Security Exercise scheduled Mid Nov- 2015 . Maiden CIP and Medical Camps at remote settlements like Afra Bay in Nicobar have brought medical benefits to the tribals and has been the hallmark of this campaign. Indian Coast Guard seeks association of the local populace especially the fisher folk to be the “Eyes and Ears” at sea to strengthen the Coastal Security matrix of the Islands.
