Port Blair, June 13: The South Andaman District Administration has done tremendous work in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic and various actions are being taken to strengthen the healthcare facilities in order to provide better care to the patients and also ensure the welfare of the children who have lost their parents due to COVID-19.
With the strenuous efforts of the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Jitendra Narain, 14 oxygen concentrators have been donated for the benefit of people of these islands by Andaman Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The same were received by Shri Suneel Anchipaka, Deputy Commissioner (SA), SDM(SA) and AC (U/T) on behalf of the Administration. The concentrators have been handed over to the medical authorities for proper utilisation in the treatment of COVID patients requiring oxygen support.
The District Child Protection Unit under the leadership of Shri Suneel Anchipaka, Chairman, DCPU/Deputy Commissioner (SA) in collaboration with Wakf Board distributed 14 rations kits to the needy children who have lost either or both of their parents due to COVID-19 or otherwise. Also in the initial stage, 19 needy children from all corners of South Andaman were given ration kits by the District Administration. The District Administration ensures all possible support to the needy children who are badly affected during the pandemic by losing the breadwinner of their family.
The DC(SA)/Chairman, DCPU has further urged the Civil Society Organisations to come forward for the help of such children. Further DC(SA) has sought the cooperation of public in fighting the pandemic and reiterated that the Administration is committed to provide the best of services.

Port Blair, June 11: The District Administration in its continuous efforts to provide relief and assistance to the people during the pandemic has taken various pro-active steps to ensure that people feel secure and safe. In this connection the District Administration distributed ration kits at Dairy Farm and also took stock of the functioning of COVID Care Centre at Wimberlygunj and also visited the containment zone at Hazaribagh in Ferrargunj Tehsil.
Mr. Suneel Anchipaka, Deputy Commissioner (SA), SDM(SA) and AC(U/T) visited Dairyfarm area and distributed ration kits arranged by administration to the identified needy persons as an immediate relief to the daily wage earners.
The officials also visited the containment zone at Hazaribagh (Part) in Ferrargunj Tehsil. During the visit the DC(SA) directed the officials engaged in containment duties to ensure that the supply of essential commodities such as grocery, medicine and other essentials are not hindered. Further it was directed to make sure that the public movement in and out of the containment zone is minimal.
Further the team visited the COVID Care Centre at Wimberlygunjand took stock of the facilities and preparedness of the Centre in tackling the pandemic. The DC(SA) interacted with the doctors and other staff in the Centre and expressed his happiness on the overall functioning of the Centre and also lauded the efforts put in by the officials in providing quality services to the patients who are admitted in the Centre.
The DC(SA) further appealed to the general public for their support and requested them to stay home for the safety of their family and society at large and also sought their co-operation in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

The 29-year old islander, G. Mehul Krishna Kumar, has taken the literary world by storm. Mehul’s debut book Lucid Dream’s: Let’s Redefine Love has not only topped the charts on Amazon but is also going into third round reprint by apk Publisher.
The freshness of the words and the ability of the reader to identify with what is narrated by a writer is almost mysticism, magic, but above all it’s the talent which matters the most.
Mehul hails from Garacharma, Port Blair and has completed his education by being in this remote territory and currently working as a government servant in Rural Development Department under Andaman and Nicobar Administration. He is a researcher in Travel and Tourism Management with research papers presented on various international platforms and is a reviewer for Elsevier journal. Destiny may have carved a Researcher out of him but the real passion to write transformed him into an author.
Today, the Deputy Commissioner (SA), Shri Suneel Anchipaka interacted with him and the interaction gave rise to the following insights about the writer and his journey.
How did you start as a writer?
My journey as a writer began when I was a teenager who tried to remix or create new versions of various poems. The habit of scribbling on papers was never taken seriously by anyone. So it was obvious that coming from the island, I must get into a government job some job of other. As soon as I finished graduation, I joined the Directorate of RD, PRI and ULBs as an MTS. But I was destined to be a researcher, so the never say die attitude in me upthrusted me to study further and a consistent support from all my near and dear ones helped me get into PhD. It was then the passion embedded in me to write resurrected again.
Can you tell us a little about your book?
My book unravels the complicated term love and cherishes it with a simple explanation of what family means to a person. The book is definitely a bestseller in the Romance genre yet the purity of content delivers an apt definition of what love is all about. For me and I guess for anyone out there, it’s the family which comes first. So a family oriented story written to not just motivate the youth but even to inculcate the essence of understanding among loved ones.
What are the challenges you faced, as you come from a remote territory?
To be frank I don’t think there was much hurdle for me by god’s grace, as life was good before and is better now. But definitely there have been various challenges as there is no easy way to success but rigorous hardwork, self-belief and respect for others is the only way to live. A lot many people’s blessing and support is what my life is all about. The tag of an islander that is attached to me since birth was a challenge but today it is something I feel proud about.
Being an government employee how did you manage your time to pursue your passion?
Well in this I can say I am pretty much blessed with, to find myself amid a healthy working atmosphere. My colleagues are very much supportive and I express my gratitude to them. I shall ever remain obliged to the Rural Development (RD) Department for their complete support in letting me believe in my dream. I am grateful to the RD department and entire Andaman and Nicobar administration for allowing me to chase my dreams.
What are your future prospects?
At present I am working on my next book which probably is in its beginning stage. However, if asked about my future aspirations, I would definitely like to see myself as a researcher or as an academician.
As an islander what will be your advice to the youths of the island?
Well I think I am still a learner and there’s plenty to learn so instead of giving an advice I rather prefer giving suggestion. To begin with I will say never consider yourself small, the people around may criticize you for the uniqueness you portray, never mind because you know what you want from life, forget the fear of defeat and the world shall be your playground. As an islander I know a numerous people of my generation and even younger have some amazing talents which is unique, the point is, how you channelize this creativity of yours into success. Long gone are the days when we used to consider ourselves not at par with the mainlanders. Today we have everything and success is something which can only be achieved if you are determined.

John Wilbert & Savita Kumari

Port Blair, June 09: The Secretary of Information, Publicity and Tourism, Mr. S K Singh today said that two flights with 304 passengers arrived at Port Blair Airport and all passengers have undergone RT-PCR test. He further informed that 133 persons (travelers) bound for N&M Andaman were tested at Ferrargunj out of which none of them was tested COVID-19 positive.
He pointed out that yesterday (Tuesday) among 271 passengers, four were found COVID-19 positive and results for today’s RT-PCR test is awaited.
About vaccination drive, the Secretary informed that today altogether 99 eligible beneficiaries got vaccinated. In which 22 beneficiaries were of age group above 45 year old and 77 were beneficiaries of age group above 18-44 year old who got there first dose of vaccine.
The Director, ANIIMS, Dr. AK Mandal, informed that 01 new COVID patients was admitted today in G.B. Pant Hospital and 01 patient got discharged. With this, the number of corona positive patients in Hospital is 37. Out of the 37 patients, 25 are on Oxygen support and one patient is on ventilator.
“Two new admissions and two discharges were reported at COVID Care Centers and the number of patients in the COVID Care Centers is 10,” he added.

Port Blair, June 08: The District Administration is taking up various welfare measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has helped redressing the issues of the general public in the South Andaman District.
The District Administration has strengthened health infrastructure specially with the creation of covid care centre at Wimberlygunj, isolation wards and also intensified the Covid-19 vaccination camps all over the District to reach out to the remotest parts.
Further in order to prevent movement of people, door to door delivery of Covid medicine kits to Home quarantine and ILI/SARI cases by the Administration is carried out on daily basis. Pulse oximeter are distributed to positive patients in home quarantine to keep a track of the SpO2 levels which is also monitored twice a day by the doctors present in the DC control room. Oxygen concentrators are also being provided to covid patients at their homes on the specific recommendation of doctors.
Through the efforts of the administration, various corporates have donated oxygen concentrators as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to support in the treatment of covid patients.
The Administration has procured 1000 ration kits to distribute to the poor and needy daily wage earners who are struggling during the lockdown, which has proved to be a very big relief to such persons.
The Administration is further coordinating with Civil society organisations for distributing ration kits to daily wage earners, auto drivers and labourers at various places. Regular medicines are also being distributed by the Civil Society Organisations to patients suffering from diseases other than COVID-19.
With the support of administration, few civil society organisations have come forward and taken up the issue of menstrual hygiene during lockdown and are providing Sanitary napkins to the women along with creating awareness about Hygiene associated issues.The Administration in cooperation with various Civil Society Organisation have initiated the stray Dog feeding campaign to provide food for the voiceless.
During the Yaas cyclone, administration had arranged measures for providing relief centresin case the cyclone severely affected the public. It also made sure all the damages due to falling of tree and electric poles were rectified on war foot.
The DC control room is working 24/7 to address the grievances of the public. The Deputy Commissioner (SA) has again thanked the Civil Society Organisations and the frontline workers who are fighting it out day and night to make the islands free from COVID – 19 pandemic, and has also sought the full support and cooperation of the general public in the fight against the pandemic.