Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 19: Master jaishish, a resident of school line, s/o venkat lav kumar and purnima mohan, trained Muaythai under N jagadeka varma at Champions zone muaythai and MMA club, he has shown exceptional skills in Muaythai and secured gold in Muaythai National held in Chennai (2023) , and Assam(2024). He was selected to represent India in the IFMA youth world championship which was held at Bangkok, Thailand. Master Jaishish took part in -44 kgs category under 10 to 11 Age, he has shown exceptional skills and secured a bronze medal for team India. He is the first islander to take part in Muaythai World championships and to secure a medal.

Vikramaditya
Baratang Island, Sept 18: The deteriorating condition of the road from Nilambur Jetty to GSSS Oralkatcha has become a serious concern for both residents and tourists. This stretch, frequently used by visitors en route to popular tourist attractions like the Limestone Caves and Mud Volcano, witnesses heavy vehicular traffic daily.
Local residents and tour operators have repeatedly raised concerns about the poor condition of the road. Despite numerous letters to higher authorities, no permanent solution has been implemented to date. The road’s condition not only hampers daily commute but also affects the tourism experience in Baratang, a key revenue source for the local community.
Complaints are regularly received from local residents about traffic delays, often exacerbated by bad weather, causing long queues of vehicles at Nilambur Jetty. The bottleneck caused by such delays disrupts the movement of both residents and tourists, creating frustration and potential hazards.
In a surprising twist of priorities, the administration and government, known for their remarkable speed in renaming Port Blair to “Sri Vijaya Puram,” have shown a rather leisurely approach when it comes to addressing the day-to-day challenges faced by the public. While the renaming exercise was executed with record-breaking efficiency, one wonders why similar enthusiasm is missing when it comes to fixing basic issues like road repairs that impact the lives of thousands.
In light of these ongoing issues, the public of Baratang Island, alongside the tourism sector, has made an urgent appeal to the authorities for swift action. They request immediate intervention and necessary directions for repairing and upgrading the road to ensure smooth traffic flow and a better experience for all.
Perhaps, with a bit of luck, these concerns might one day find themselves on the fast track of the administration’s attention—after all, if a name can be changed overnight, surely fixing a road can’t be too much to ask.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 18: Admiral DK Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency chaired a presentation along with Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS, Chief Secretary, A&N Administration and other Senior Officers of Andaman & Nicobar Administration at Raj Niwas today to review redevelopment project of Swaraj Dweep harbour area with conceptual inputs from Senior Architects of Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
MoU is being signed between Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Andaman & Nicobar Administration for providing architectural and design support for various projects in A&N Islands.

 

Saurabh Adhikari & Vikramaditya

Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 16: In a heated press conference held today, the Congress Party of Andaman and Nicobar Islands expressed its vehement opposition to the recent decision by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government to rename Port Blair as “Shri Vijaya Puram.” Led by Mr. Rangalal Halder, President of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), and accompanied by senior leaders like Mrs. Zubaida Begum and Mr. G. Bhasker, the Congress leaders slammed the government’s decision, calling it “unnecessary” and “disconnected from the real issues faced by the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.”

Mr. Rangalal Halder stressed this in his opening remarks, noting, “Port Blair is not just a name; it is a symbol of our history and heritage. This government, by renaming the city, is erasing a part of our identity that has stood for generations.”

He further added, “The people of Andaman and Nicobar are not in favour of this name change, and neither is the Congress party. We will not support the altering of our history for political gains.” Mr. Halder questioned the rationale behind the name change, especially when the island is facing more pressing issues such as poor healthcare infrastructure, unemployment, and lack of basic amenities.

Mr. Halder’s criticism extended beyond the symbolic renaming, as he pointed out several practical issues that plague the island. “What good does renaming the city do when we still don’t have functioning MRI or CT scan machines in our hospitals? Thousands of patients travel long distances only to return without proper medical care. Is changing the name of Port Blair going to fix these problems?” he asked.

This sentiment was echoed by other Congress leaders, including Mrs. Zubaida Begum, President of the Mahila Congress. She pointed out that BJP’s focus on renaming cities is a pattern seen across the country since the party came into power in 2014. “They have a tradition of changing names instead of solving real problems. What does renaming Port Blair to Shri Vijaya Puram achieve? Will the name change solve the unemployment crisis, improve the roads, or fix the electricity shortages?” Mrs. Zubaida Begum asked during her speech.

According to the Congress leaders, the decision to rename Port Blair was made without any consultation with the local residents, whose sentiments are closely tied to the city’s historical name. “Several people have called me, asking why the Congress is silent. People couldn’t sleep after hearing the news of this name change because it feels like a part of their identity is being stripped away,” Mrs. Zubaida Begum revealed.

She further expressed dismay at the lack of public consultation, noting that no local representatives or community members were involved in the decision-making process. “The government didn’t ask for the opinion of the people of Andaman. They didn’t consult public representatives. This is a dictatorship, not democracy,” she said.

Mrs. Zubaida Begum also addressed the island’s infrastructural problems, such as erratic electricity and water supply. “The roads are in poor condition, and there are issues with basic facilities like healthcare and education. There are no specialists in the hospitals, and people are forced to travel to the mainland for medical treatment,” she added.

Mr. G. Bhasker, Chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee, accused the government of using the name change to divert attention from its failures. “This government has failed in every sector – be it roads, electricity, or employment. By renaming Port Blair, they are trying to shift the focus from their incompetence,” he claimed.

Mr. Bhasker also questioned the reasoning behind selecting the name “Shri Vijaya Puram,” pointing out that it holds no historical or cultural significance for the people of Andaman. “What is the significance of ‘Shri Vijaya Puram’? Why this name? The government must explain the rationale behind this decision. If you are so focused on changing names, why not choose something that honours our freedom fighters, like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose?” he suggested.

Beyond the symbolic impact, the Congress leaders highlighted the practical difficulties that will arise from the renaming. Mr. Bhasker pointed out that residents will have to go through the cumbersome process of updating all official documents – from Aadhaar cards to voter IDs and driving licenses – to reflect the new city name. “Imagine the burden on a poor resident from a remote village who now has to update all his identification documents just because the government decided to change the city’s name without any consultation,” he remarked.

 

Rabindranath Biswas
Harinagar/Diglipur, Sept. 16: Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners in Billiground and other areas under Gram Panchayat Harinagar are facing severe difficulties owing to nonavailability of fuel at Petrol Outlets in the areas.
According to information, a large number of Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners belonging to Auto Associations in Billiground and the general public of Gram Panchayat Harinagar gathered at Gram Panchayat Harinagar with the aim to hold an agitation due to non-availability of petrol and diesel at pvt. Out Let under Harinagar Gram Panchayat yesterday, Shri Manojit Halder, Pradhan, GP, Harinagar said.

There is no petrol pump/Retail Out Let of any Oil Company in the locality and the Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners buy the fuel from pvt. Out Lets run by local fuel pump operators/persons with relevant licenses. However, these local fuel pump operators/fuel vendors applied for the renewal of their licenses which haven’t been renewed by the competent authority as yet, and the reasons are best known to the concerned Officials. The pvt. Outlet operators who have been operating their fuel pumps for the last 20 years have reportedly ceased to stock and sell the fuel lest they should face legal proceedings in the event of not being able to produce renewed license if they are charged/asked by the concerned Officials/Police, the Pradhan informed.

As a result of which, it triggered a huge crisis of fuel in the region all of a sudden forcing/pushing the Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners on the verge of mounting a protest, the Pradhan said. However, the Pradhan along with other PRI Members intervened in the matter and tried his best to pacify the irate Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners with assurances of resolving the crisis.

The Pradhan then led a delegation of PRI Members comprising of Shri Dilip Kumar Das, PSM, Harinagar, Shri Shankar Mondal, ZPM and others and met Shri Ashish Joon, Assistant Commissioner, (HQ), Mayabunder and apprised him of the crisis created owing to non-availability of fuel in the region. The AC reportedly assured the Pradhan and other PRI Members that he would see that Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners don’t face problems owing to this present fuel crisis. The Pradhan reportedly reposed full faith on the AC on the matter and was hopeful that the fuel crisis would be resolved, the Pradhan said.
Amid all this, the Pradhan further disclosed that at present there is no Retail Out Let of IOCL in the locality and hence the motorists and Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners are facing severe inconveniences. However, IOCL has reportedly already sanctioned a Retail Out Let in the locality to sell petrol and diesel about one and half years ago and the oil giant is ready to set up a Retail Out Let but the Revenue Officials have reportedly shown no initiatives towards setting apart the desired land for Retail OutLet, the Pradhan alleged.

Mr. Halder also met the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration and urged him to impress upon the concerned Officials on the matter so that IOCL may set up a Retail Out Let in the region to do away with the prolonged fuel crisis in the region.

The CS, reportedly showing positive gesture on the matter had ordered the concerned Officials to do the needful in the matter so as to facilitate IOCL for setting up a Retail Out Let, but despite that it yielded no fruitful result yet, the Pradhan maintained.

 

Rabindranath Biswas

Rabindranagar/Diglipur, Sept. 15: The residents of Rabindranagar, Little Andaman are facing severe inconveniences owing to BSNL disrupted service in the region.

According to information, the customers of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in Rabindranagar, Little Andaman have been experiencing severe difficulties owing to disruption in service rendered by BSNL in the area. The residents said that in the event of power-cut/power failure in the region, BSNL service is instantly disrupted. They further said that the BSNL Office has its own DG set but there is no one in the Office to operate the DG set.

As such, the BSNL unit in the area comes to a complete non-functional state in the event of power failure and it has to depend solely on the Electricity Department’s power supply. On the other hand, villagers have to face the wrath of this undesired situation, the residents rued. School students who now heavily depend on online studies are being severely affected by this BSNL’s erratic service. Medical emergencies, business, official works are being severely hampered, they fumed.

Andaman Sheekha Daily when contacted Smti Sanjeeta Biswas, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Rabindranagar and wanted to know more on the matter, the Pradhan said that she is seized of the matter and she made repeated requests to the concerned officials of the BSNL in the area to provide/ensure an uninterrupted BSNL signals as people are being largely harried. Besides, the maximal numbers of residents in the area are the subscribers of BSNL and hence they are left with no other options but to face the ordeal in the event of BSNL’s signal disruption, she said.

The official works in her Panchayat Office also get severely affected, she said. She personally took up the matter to higher officials a number of times earlier, but unfortunately it yielded no fruitful result as yet, she maintained. However, CBSE Board exams are drawing near and administration should look into matters and give necessary directions to the concerned officials of BSNL to provide its uninterrupted signals to its subscribers so that school students’ studies are not further compromised, Smti Sanjeeta Biswas said.

Andman Sheekha Daily tried to establish contact on phone in order to know further on the matter, but the concerned officials of BSNL, Rabindranagar were not available on phone to make any comment or it.

 

Vikramaditya
Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 15: A serious accident occurred in Dollygunj today when a man, identified as Mr. Amrit Mani, fell from the second floor of an under-construction building. The victim fell onto a standing iron rod, which penetrated through his stomach and back. The incident took place near Hotel Sahara Residency, and immediate action was taken to rescue the injured person.
The Garacharma Fire Station received the distress call and dispatched a team to the scene, along with the Aberdeen Rescue Tender. Fire personnel had to carefully cut the rod before the victim could be safely transported to nearby Hospital by ambulance.
As per public, the prompt response of the fire services helped secure the injured man for immediate medical attention. His condition remains critical. Further updates are awaited.