Port Blair, Sep 11: In a letter addressed to the Chief engineer, APWD, Port Blair, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament, A & N Islands, has requested for urgent repair of the road stretch from School Line to Dairy Farm Junction. In the letter the MP has underlined the deplorable condition of the road following recent replacement of old pipelines with new ones by digging the median stretch of the road and leaving it with just a temporary makeover of the damaged road. This stretch of road has deteriorated significantly becoming a serious hazard for road commuters. This is leading to acute hardships to general public, two wheeler drivers, aged and patients. The safety and wellbeing is at stake for all those who use the stretch of road.
Mr. Ray has requested the APWD to prioritize the repair and proper relaying of this stretch of the road urgently in the interest of the General Public.

Rabindranath Biswas
Harinagar & Bakultala/Diglipur, Sept. 10: Pradhan Gram Panchayat Harinagar and Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Bakultala together met with Director RD PRIs Port Blair in connection with various issues pertaining to their respective Gram Panchayats yesterday.
According to information, Shri Manojit Halder, Pradhan GP Harinagar raised his issue regarding the release of funds and to solve the problems related to appointment of Community Resource Person (CRP); while Shri Narayan Mondal, Pradhan GP Bakultala raised the problems which were faced by the Panchayat for installation of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plant in Ward No. 02 at Bkaultala for commercial purposes. The RO plant project was reportedly approved in the Gram Sabha and was also incorporated in the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP); however, the Pradhan was reportedly struggling with hurdles in the preparation of the estimate of the RO plant project. The Pradhan GP Bakultala also reportedly brought into the knowledge of the RD PRIs the issues of disposal of unserviceable storage etc.
Director RD PRIs gave a patient hearing to both the Pradhans and called on the Account officers and other concerned officials and instantly solved some issues raised by them and the Director further gave them assurance to do the needful to resolve other issues as soon as possible, the Pradhans further added.

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, Sept. 03: The people of Diglipur have raised the issue of the menace of stray dogs.
According to information, the general public in Diglipur are facing a threat from stray dogs. These canines have taken over the streets, chasing cars, knocking down cyclists, and frequently attacking pedestrians and school children.
An individual, sharing his nightmarish experience told Andaman Sheekha Daily that these stray dogs pose a serious threat to pedestrians who face attacks of these dogs especially in daybreak and nightfall. He was reportedly attacked by a pack of stray dogs at Medical Chowk, R.K. Gram, which is a favourite haunt of the stray dogs at night few days and somehow managed to escape from the chasing and brutal attack of these stray dogs.
And the aged people are the most vulnerable who come out for a morning walk in the dawn and those who return home in the dusk. Instances are there that the old people going/returning from bazaar and students going to tuitions were attacked and severely bitten by a pack of savage dogs, he further said. People residing in Diglipur Bazaar area have to have either a disturbed sleep or sleepless nights due to the incessant barking, howling and fighting of these stray dogs, others said.
These stray dogs are a threat not only to human lives but also to the traffic especially to the ambulance transporting serious patients and the fire tenders attending fire calls which are reportedly thwarted by the presence of these stray/pet animals on roads, people observed.
The road, footpath and open spaces are hardly found free where these stray dogs do not defecate and vomit and one has to very carefully set his feet lest he should step on the dog stool, people said. Allured by the discarded food stuffs from hotels and food stalls these dogs move towards the bazaar, they further said. There is an urgent need for organizing special area wise sterilization camps of stray dogs to arrest the threat, the people opined.

Port Blair, Sept 09: The Andaman Nicobar Chess Association (ANCA) successfully hosted a Chess Simul Event featuring Grandmaster Tejas Bakre, at Hotel Lemon Tree, Port Blair this evening. The event saw enthusiastic chess players from the islands, both young and old, challenging the Grandmaster in simultaneous games, providing a rare opportunity to play against one of India’s top chess talents.
Grandmaster Tejas Bakre simultaneously took on multiple opponents, showcasing his impressive play which captivated and provided participants with a truly enriching experience.
Following the Simul, an exclusive interaction session was held with parents and players. The Grandmaster shared invaluable insights on chess training, game improvement, and effective strategies for player development. The event was well-received and marked a significant milestone in promoting chess in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, Sept. 06: Residents of Ganesh Nagar village under Diglipur Tehsil are facing difficulties owing to unavailability of healthcare professionals at Sub-Centre, Ganeshnagar to provide the required service to the patients in the area.
According to information, Shri Dipankar Mistry, Pramukh, Panachayat Samiti Diglipur told Andaman Sheekha Daily that the Sarpanch of Ganesh Nagar village had informed him that for the health benefit of the villagers, a sub-centre and a quarter for the staff were built in their village, where the staff may stay and provide immediate health care to the needy patients in the event of any medical emergency in the area. The Pramukh was further reportedly informed that after the transfer of the previous ANM, a male pharmacist has been appointed at the Sub-Centre, Ganeshnagar in her place, who returns to Diglipur after providing healthcare service at the centre. As a result of which the villagers reportedly are not able to get immediate medical treatment in the area. Driven by this situation, the villagers sometimes have to travel a distance of about 40 km from Ganesh Nagar to get their treatment or checkup done at PHC Radhanagar or CHC Digipur, the Pramukh said. On the other hand, since the connecting road to Ganeshnagar is still under construction, the bus services are not running properly due to which patients and pregnant women have to face unspeakable difficulties as narrated by the Pramukh.
The Pramukh, on the basis of the information received from Sarpanch of Ganesh Nagar village, has reportedly recently written a letter to the Director of Health Services, A & N Administration, Port Blair urging the authority for immediate posting of a healthcare professional of permanent nature at the Sub-Centre, Ganeshnagar to provide a satisfactory level of medical care to the patients in the area, Shri Dipankar Mistry further informed.

Saurabh Adhikari & Neeraj
Port Blair, Sept. 8: On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, renowned Andaman and Nicobar Islands chef, Ashwar Singh, has once again made history by crafting a colossal 2144 kg ladoo, surpassing his own record from last year. The massive ladoo was unveiled at Four Seasons on 6th September 2024, drawing hundreds of devotees since the previous day to both witness this grand creation and seek blessings from Lord Ganesha.
On September 7th, a grand roadshow took place, where Chef Ashwar Singh, along with his team, paraded the enormous ladoo through the city. The procession was a spectacle, with loud chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” echoing through the streets, as the vibrant crowd followed the journey of the ladoo.
Speaking at the event, Chef Ashwar shared his pride in the achievement. “We started planning this historic ladoo on the first of September, and it took five days of continuous effort to make it. This is the biggest ladoo ever created in the history of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and I am thankful to my team for making it possible,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of Ganesh Chaturthi in the islands, stating, “Every year, we try to do something historic, and this year, we crossed two tons. It’s not just about the size or cost, but about the devotion we have for Lord Ganesha. Our aim is to bring recognition to the islands and make Andaman and Nicobar proud.” The ladoo is now displayed at Netaji Club, where the public is invited to visit and take blessings.