Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 15: The Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI, Shri Govind Mohan arrived on a day’s visit to A&N Islands today. Soon after arrival, the Home Secretary reviewed the Flagship Schemes of GoI, Tourism, Great Nicobar Island projects and Implementation of three New Criminal Laws in the conference hall of the A&N Secretariat here today. The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS and Senior Officers of A&N Administration were present on the occasion.
Later in the afternoon, Home Secretary visited NSCB Dweep and witnessed the presentation by Consultant regarding NSCB Dweep Development, 4 Islands and 11 Islands projects and held discussions. The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS and Senior Officers of A&N Administration were present on the occasion.
On completion of visit, the Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI will depart for mainland tomorrow (Sept.16).

Ganeshan&Vikramaditya
Rajatgarh, Baratng, Sept 13: A new mud volcano eruption was reported late at night around 11 PM in the forests near Khata Gadi village, Rajatgarh. According to sources, residents in the area witnessed the eruption, which released an estimated 5000 cubic meters of mud, spreading across the surrounding region.
Initial videos and photos suggest that it is indeed a mud volcano eruption, though official confirmation is still pending. Local residents reported seeing mud erupting from the ground, spreading over a large area. The eruption site is about 1.5 to 2 kilometers from the nearest village, with no immediate threat to residents. According to villagers fire is also seen erupting in one particular place of the new eruption.
Forest department officials were alerted and arrived at the scene early in the morning to assess the situation. Though bubbling mud is still being observed, no immediate danger has been reported as the eruption site is deep within the forest, away from populated areas. Further investigations are underway.

 

Port Blair, Sept 13: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that Andaman and Nicobar Island’s capital Port Blair has been renamed as “Sri Vijaya Puram.”

“Inspired by the vision of PM @narendramodi Ji, to free the nation from the colonial imprints, today we have decided to rename Port Blair as “Sri Vijaya Puram. While the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in our freedom struggle and the A&N Islands’ unique role in the same,” the minister posted on X.

“Andaman & Nicobar Islands have an unparalleled place in our freedom struggle and history. The island territory that once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire is today poised to be the critical base for our strategic and development aspirations,” he added.

“It is also the place that hosted the first unfurling of our Tiranga by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Ji and also the cellular jail in which Veer Savarkar Ji and other freedom fighters struggled for an independent nation,” Shah added.

Sri Vijaya Puram is the capital city of the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 

Port Blair, Sept. 12: In a proud moment for Andaman & Nicobar Islands, local firefighter Mr. K.P. Mammu from the Andaman & Nicobar Fire and Emergency Services (ANF&ES) clinched 2 gold medal and 1 silver medal at the World Firefighter Games 2024, held from September 7 to 14 in Aalborg, Denmark. Competing against elite firefighters from 49 countries, Mr. Mammu secured gold in the 4×100 meter relay and long jump, while also winning silver in the 100-meter race.
The World Firefighter Games, known as the “Olympics for Firefighters,” is a prestigious biennial event that showcases the physical and mental endurance of firefighters worldwide. This year’s edition featured various sports and fire-specific challenges, including hose-running, ladder climbing, and life-saving simulations.
Mr. Mammu, a veteran firefighter with over 24 years of service, expressed his elation at winning gold, stating, “This was the toughest competition I’ve ever faced. Representing India and my fire department on a global stage and bringing home the gold is a dream come true.”
The games, which began in 1988, are designed to promote fitness, foster camaraderie among firefighters, and encourage family participation. The Indian Fire Service team, which Mr. Mammu represented, has won a total of 13 gold, 9 silver, and 3 bronze medals so far.
Mr. Mammu is expected to return to Port Blair on September 19, where a warm reception awaits him from the Fire Department for his outstanding achievement.

 

Port Blair, Sept 12: Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, the Member of Parliament, A & N Islands along with Mr. Sanjay Balan, Retd. Official, A & N Administration, yesterday visited Swaraj Dweep following numerous complaints regarding removal of old encroachments without following due process of law.
Further the local residents also alleged of excesses being committed on the entrepreneurs / businessmen/ traders of the islands and also upon the farmers by local officials.
The MP also visited the areas from where old encroachment of fruiting arecanut plantation was cut down insensitively in the name of encroachment eviction drive.
Later he also met the farmers and extended families of settlers who were allegedly not being allowed to construct own small houses in their own land.
He also happened to meet entrepreneurs/ hotel owners who complained about spokes being put in their decade’s old businesses without any valid reasoning. This needs to be reminded that these business people are contributing for country’s growth by paying GST and other relevant taxes in tune of multi crores. And they are being troubled?
Mr. Ray advised the Assistant Commissioner and others to serve the people with spirit of compassion and understand the local dynamics which will enable them in making reasoned and articulated decisions. He requested the officers present not to take law into their own hands but act in accordance with law wherever necessary. The MP opined that if a single hotel in Swaraj Dweep is paying 14 crore as GST, with a little bit of easing the bottlenecks, the government can expect 1500 cr to 2000 cr GST from Swaraj Dweep Island itself. This will also enable creation of more jobs / more business opportunities etc for the local populace too, he said.
“The endeavor of the Administration should therefore be to lay down conducive atmosphere for the islanders / farmers and the Businessmen alike for enabling holistic development and to achieve the dreams of Modi govt”, he added.

 

Rabindranath Biswas

Harinagar/Diglipur, Sept. 12: The Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Harinagar, Mr. Manojit Halder has raised the issue of ramshackle condition of Zilla Parishad Niwas at Port Blair.

According to information, the Zilla Parishad Niwas at Port Blair is reportedly in dilapidated condition. The Pradhan Mr. Manojit Halder said that the elected PRI Members from inter-islands put up in Zilla Parishad Niwas during their visit to Port Blair. However, it has come to the notice of the Pradhan that the condition of the Niwas has significantly deteriorated over the past two years due to inadequate maintenance and proper care of the Authorities.

There is a persistent problem with water leakage from the top floor which has led to further damage and potential hazards within the premises, the Pradhan claimed. Essential amenities such as the television and air-conditioning units are currently non-functional, rendering the accommodation inconvenient and inadequate for the needs of visiting PRI Members.

The paint on the walls of the kitchen area has peeled off which has compromised the cleanlines and usability of the space for dining purposes, the Pradhan further maintained.

The Pradhan has reportedly written a letter on 9th Sept. 2024 to the Adhyaksha, Zilla Parishad, South Andaman, Port Blair apprising her of the present tumbledown condition of the Zilla Parishad Niwas at port Blair. He further urged in the letter that immediate maintenance and repair works are essential to restore the Niwas to an acceptable condition so that the PRI members may have access to a safe, comfortable and well-maintained accommodation during their visits to Port Blair, the Pradhan said.

 

Port Blair, Sep 11: In a major operation highlighting the unwavering commitment to the war on drugs, South Andaman District Police seized 2.075 kg of heroin.
Addressing a press conference today at SP District office Mrs. Niharika Bhatt, Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District informed media that the operation was led by a team of PS Bambooflat ably led by DySP Brij Mohan Meena and SHO Insp Rizwan Hasan. The seized contraband, with an estimated international market value exceeding ₹14 crores, led to the arrest of seven individuals. This marks the first time such a substantial quantity of heroin has been confiscated in the region.
As per details, the operation was initiated based on confidential information. On 24/08/2024, secret information was received regarding the matter and information shared with senior officers .Acting on the information, the police team intercepted one Athish Kumar S/o Late Jaswant Lall (42) yrs Pvt Contractor R/o Prothrapur and a total of 1.295 kg of Heroin was recovered & seized from his possession and this resulted in the arrest of Athish Kumar. Upon his arrest, a case was registered under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, at PS Bambooflat and investigation of the case was entrusted to SI Manoj Lal of PS Bambooflat.
In an effort to bust the entire racket, further investigation revealed a broader network of individuals involved in the illicit drug trade. Athish Kumar’s revelation led to the identification and arrest of three additional suspects: 1) Krishna Kumar Yadav (46), LGC, Andaman Labour Force Office, residing in Bhatubasti, 2) Vincent Lakra (40), a teacher with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, posted in Mayabunder and 3) Shaiju P. Thomas (45), Deck Petty Officer with DSS, residing in Garacharma.
The investigation uncovered that the seized heroin had been transported from Campbell Bay to Port Blair by Vincent Lakra, with the transit facilitated by Krishna Kumar Yadav. Further, Saiju P. Thomas & Athish Kumar retained some packets of contraband in Port Blair and sent two packets of heroin to Kolkata with plans to dispose of it at a lucrative price in Mainland. When they failed to sell it off on their visit to Kolkata, they kept it in a sealed cover with one of their friends in Kolkata. They misled him by saying that the sealed cover contains hard disk and they will collect it whenever they come back to Kolkata. Based on this, SI Samiran Mridha was deputed to Kolkata, where he collaborated with SI Manish Narayan, who was in Kolkata on duty, and successfully seized 780 gms heroine.
Subsequent interrogations revealed the involvement of two more individuals namely 1) Chinnaiah (40), DRM (driver in Campbell Bay), who facilitated the transportation of the heroin and 2) Vikram Singh Gill (30), an accountant in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, residing at Shadipur, who had purchased heroin from Vincent Lakra. Chinnaiah revealed that the heroin had initially been found drifting ashore by Cosmas Lakra (53), a DRM in the Campbell Bay Panchayat. Cosmas Lakra who has also been arrested in the case, had handed over the contraband to Vincent, marking the start of the illegal supply chain that was ultimately busted by the police.
This large-scale seizure of heroin marks a significant victory for law enforcement in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, disrupting a well-organized drug trafficking network that spanned multiple regions and involved multiple actors from suppliers to distributors.
The investigation team consisted of SDPO Bambooflat, Mr. Brij Mohan, SHO Bambooflat Insp Rizwan Hasan and included SI Manoj Lal, SI Samiran Mridha, HC Zubair, PC Suresh Kumar, PC A. Ali, LPC Naw Seesa, driver Constable M. Mohd. Basheer of PS Bambooflat.
The entire operation was carried out under the leadership of Mrs. Niharika Bhatt, Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District with the supervision of Mrs. Sindhu Pillai, IPS, IGP (L&O) and Mrs. Varsha Sharma, IPS, DIGP (L&O) and overall guidance of Mr. Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, IPS, Director General of Police, A&N Islands.
Authorities continue to urge the public to report any suspicious activity related to drugs or other illegal activities. Information can be shared via the following contact numbers: 112, 258411 or 232100. The identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential.

 

Port Blair, Sept 11: The former Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has extended his heartiest congratulations to Rev. Thomas of Sawai Village, Car Nicobar, on the momentous occasion of his consecration as the Bishop of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
This remarkable milestone reflects his firm commitment to faith, service, and the well-being of people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, he added.
The former Member of Parliament mentioned that Rev. Thomas has been a guiding light to many, demonstrating compassion and humility throughout his pastoral work. His dedication to the spiritual and social development of the people, particularly in the Nicobar region, has been exemplary. His leadership will no doubt inspire unity, peace, and progress in the islands as he takes on this important role.
On behalf of the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, he offered his best wishes for his future endeavors as Bishop, and he said that he is confident that his tenure will be one of great spiritual enrichment for our Islands.