Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 08: Mr. Madhu S Nair, CMD, Cochin Shipyard Limited along with his team on visit to A&N Islands for 279th Board Meeting of Cochin Shipyard Limited at Sri Vijaya Puram called on Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency today at Raj Niwas. Delegation apprised the Lt. Governor on the status of expeditious implementation and Operationalization of Cochin Shipyard Ltd. & Andaman & Nicobar Ship Repair Unit (CANSRU) agreement for developing A&N Islands as Regional Ship Building Repair Hub.
The Lt. Governor emphasized the need to expedite the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for modernization of Marine Dockyard and overall ship repair ecosystem in the Islands. The Lt. Governor also urged to constitute emergency repair team to handle urgent short repairs & develop ancillary industries at Sri Vijaya Puram, set up partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) & competent agencies for specialized repairs at Marine Dockyards.

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, Nov. 07: The residents of Ward No. 06, Subhashgram under Diglipur Tehsil have been facing severe commuting woes owing to the engulfment of the full width of the rural road starting from APWD main road to Ganesh Das house via Basanta Das house by the the nallah during the raging flood that occurred in the month of July this year.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, the residents of the area said, “There is a nallah which erodes our land every year during the rainy season. In fact, the nallah engulfed our road when the flood happened in early July this year. With no road or the engulfed-road in our area has put us in great difficulties thereby severely disrupting our lives; and most importantly, our school-going children are the worst affected”, they fumed. In fact, the nallah has not only engulfed the road in question but also it has swallowed up a sizable area of our land with standing plantations of areca nut trees, claimed Mr. Jagadish Das, a resident of the area.
The residents further said that erosion by river/nalla is a natural phenomenon and what is required is to arrest the erosion process by erecting retaining walls along the land/nallah side so that their land can be protected from this erosion. And they informed all the three PRIs about the rundown condition of this road and the elected members reportedly paid their visits to the spot and gave their empty assurances that the work would be taken up on priority basis, but they did nothing to alleviate their commuting woes, they further alleged. The villagers also approached the officials of the APWD, CD, Diglipur and apprised them all of the tumble-down condition of the road, but their pleas fell into deaf ears; no initiative was taken from any of the institutions so far and they have been facing the wrath of this situation for the last many years, they lamented.
On the other hand, the entire stretch of the road is in ramshackle state, and it literally doesn’t exist, it is filled with innumerable pot-holes and only some quantum of gravels can be seen on the road thereby rendering it to a complete unworthy for vehicular movement, the locals added. Initially the people of the area were told that a sixty (60) meter long “Retaining Wall” would be constructed at the site to arrest the erosion thereby protecting the road and their land, but the present scenario presents a different picture; it undeniably needs approx. 70-80 meter long “Retaining Wall” to protect the road and their land in the area, they insisted.
Amid all this, the honourable Member of Parliament Shri Bishnapada Ray, out of his hectic schedule, paid a short visit to the area and inspected the condition of the engulfed road in question. He then interacted with the residents of the area and listened to their grievances. The villagers apprised the honourable MP of their hardships owing to this road and land erosion which need to be protected at any cost. The villagers also handed over the previous letters of correspondence with the higher authorities to this effect to the MP Mahoday in anticipation that their issue would be aptly addressed this time, they said.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 07: Mr. M. Venkatesan, the Chairman, National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, currently on visit to A&N Islands, held review meeting on Implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013) in A&N Islands with Chief Secretary (i/c), A&N Administration, Mr. ASPS Raviprakash, IAS and other Senior Officers in the Conference Hall of A&N Secretariat on 7.11.2024.

 

Rabindranath Biswas
Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov. 06: The normal life of the people of Ferrargunj Tehsil is paralysed with erratic power supply in the areas.
According to information, there is reportedly a severe power outage which is unscheduled and protracted and which puts the residents in the area into a vexatious situation to experience. Talking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, Mr. Sunil Kumar, Pradhan Gram Panchayat Ferrergunj said that power cut has put the people of seven number of villages under the Panchayat in real trouble, and the worst hit are Jirkatang and Mailtilak village. In fact, the excessive load shedding has proven to be a death blow to the people of these villages, he said. “Uneven and unscheduled power cuts have become a daily routine in Ferrargunj and no one listens to the woes of the general public in this perspective. We are facing the worst ever power crisis these days and the Department on the other hand is least bothered by this issue of crippling and acute power cuts”, the residents of the region continue to rail at, the Pradhan said. Due to this severe power cut, the reports of damage to electronic gadgets/appliances like TV, Refrigerators and air conditioners are also on the rise, the Pradhan maintained. And most importantly, the school students are the worst affected as their board exams are nearing, the Pradhan forewarned. Official works in the Offices of BDO, CDPO, APWD Guest House, Tehsil Office etc. are being severely disrupted, the Pradhan said. Even the slightest wind/drizzle results in sudden power cuts in the areas thereby putting the people in an unspeakable discomfort, the Pradhan decried. The residents of these villages only make an appeal to the concerned authority to ensure an uninterrupted power supply in the region and give them a relief from this highly erratic power supply, Mr. Sunil Kumar said.

 

Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 06: In the Port User meeting chaired by the Secretary (Shipping) on Oct. 17, 2024, it was informed that non availability of Tug with Port Management Board (PMB) is a matter of concern and needs to be addressed on priority. The Secretary (Shipping) had assured to the Port users that the A&N Administration is committed and will make all out effort to make the Tug M T Andaman of PMB operational. The situation was reviewed and the estimated time for repair and supply of some critical spares was quoted by the CSL as 240 days. However, under the leadership of Secretary (Shipping) and the Department’s ingenious approach made it possible to make the Tug functional within 45 days. Persistent efforts made by PMB and DSS officials in close coordination with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) team and constant persuasion and guidance of the Secretary (Shipping) had reaped results and the Tug M T Andaman which had been non operational since December, 2022 was made operational and subjected to Basin Trials today. During the Basin Trials, the Tug was able to achieve its desired efficiency and Tugging Operations of M V Campbell Bay berthed at Hope Town Jetty was also undertaken, which was witnessed by the Secretary (Shipping) on board the vessel.
The Tug will be subjected to further trials, so as to ensure that any other operational issues could be attended and restored. Thereafter, the Tug M T Andaman will immediately be put into service for Port Operations in Sri Vijaya Puram Port and parallel action to bring the vessel under class will also be initiated. Once, the vessel is brought under class, then the Tug could be made available at any notified Port of A&N Islands for facilitating Port operations.

 

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, Nov. 06: To mark and commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Sri Vijayapuram (Port Blair) has decided to install a grand statue in its campus. In this connection, the devotees of Bhagwan Birsa Munda have taken out “Dharti Aaba – Bhagwan Birsa Munda: Gaurav Yatra” carrying the said statue. The Gaurav Yatra was started on 05th November, 2024 from Sri Hanuman Mandir Lamiya Bay, and visiting places/venues such as Durgapur, Youth Club, Magar Nallah the Yatra made visits Radhanagar, Bhashdeck Ram Mandir, Laxmipur, Madhupur and reached Sita Ram Mandir, Navin Nagar, Diglipur and halted there yesterday. The Yatra resumed today morning from Navin Nagar and after a short visit at Barrack at Sitanagar the Yatra further proceeded to Kalara Junction where they visited Sri Ram Mandir, Kalara Junction. The Yatra reached Ram Nagar in the afternoon today after making similar visits at Kalighat Ram Mandir and finally at Sri Ram Mandir Ram Nagar in the afternoon today. The Yatra then reached Sri Ganesh Mandir, Ram Nagar where the Yatra will make a halt tonight. The Yatra will resume tomorrow morning from Ram Nagar Ganesh Mandir and reach Mayabunder tomorrow itself after similar type of short visits at Prangara Ram Mandir, Sri Nagar Ram Mandir, Pailoon, Kalapahad Shiv Mandir, Austin-2 and Danapur in transit, they said.
The Yatra will similarly visit various places/venues through the routes via Mayabunder-Rangat-Bakultala-Kadamtala-Baratang-Jirkatang on the way to Sri Vijaya Puram and will culminate at Sri Vijya Puram, they said. Later the statue of Dharti Aba – Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be installed in the premises of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Sri Vijayapuram with the Vanvasi – Adivasi rituals and a commemorative programme will also be organised on 15th November, 2024 at VanvasiKalyan Ashram, Sri Vijayapuram, they further informed.

Rabindranath Biswas
Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov. 05: A Sub Centre in a rural area is supposed to provide healthcare services to the people living in the area. However, local residents claim that the apathy of the A & N Administration and healthcare officials has affected the establishment of a Sub Centre in Lal Pahad village under Gram Panchayat Chouldari.
According to information, there was a Sub Centre close to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Chouldari. However, when the old Sub Centre reached a derelict condition, it finally became reportedly non-functional. Since then, there was a continual demand from the residents of Lal Pahad that the Sub Centre be shifted to Lal Pahad and is newly established there.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, Smti Tapashi Saha, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Chouldari said that the Sub Centre in question was very close to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Chouldari; furthermore, major part of the patients seeking health service at this Sub Centre used to come from Lal Pahad. Hence, if the Sub Centre is shifted to Lalpahad, it would be convenient for pregnant women and kids of the area, she said. Taking up the matter, the Pradhan reportedly wrote a letter to the Secretary (Health), A & N Administration, Port Blair about a year ago. Smti Saha then wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman and apprised the authority of problems and the dire need of the Sub Centre to be shifted to Lal Pahad.
Lal Pahad is located in the rural area under GP Chouldari with a population of approximately 1500. Villagers face significant challenges in accessing health care services owing to lack of essential healthcare facilities in the area, she informed the DC. As a result, there was an urgent need to establish a Sub Centre at a suitable location in Lal Pahad to meet the healthcare requirement of the villagers effectively, she emphasized.
The proposed Sub Centre at Lal Pahad would act as a primary healthcare provider, aiming to provide basic medical services, preventive care, health promotion, and health education to the community. In fact, it would also serve as an interface between the proposed Sub Centre and PHC/CHC and will play a pivotal role in improving the health and well-being of the villagers and would help alleviate their reliance on distant hospitals and clinics, she further added.
She then urged the DC to grant/allot a piece of land in Lal Pahad and its set apart for the establishment of the Sub Centre. Subsequently, the matter further advanced following her pursuance of the project, and a joint inspection of the proposed site was reportedly done in presence of the Pradhan and the concerned area JE in 2023.
The Research Officer (Plg.) DHS sounded positive and he even reportedly advocated for a PHC there and requested the Executive Engineer, CD-III, APWD, Prothrapur to prepare a layout plan of the HWC/SC on the proposed site and also furnish a tentative cost for development of site excluding building cost to take a decision/further course of action for construction of HWC/SC at that location, she said.
However, gradually the endeavour reportedly died down and she saw no further advancement in the said project, she alleged. The residents of the area, on the other hand, are only demanding that the administration should show initiatives and work on the project and establish a HWC/SC on the site in Lal Pahad, so that the people of this area may have access to healthcare services, the Pradhan said.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 05: The prestigious National Sub Junior (Under-15) Chess Championship 2024 is underway in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, featuring an impressive turnout of around 450 participants from across India. Among them is A Chirag Kumar, a Class IX student from Naval Children School (NCS) representing the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The tournament, which spans nine days from November 3 to November 11, will challenge players through 11 rounds in the classical format. Each participant has 90 minutes per game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from the very first move. With a total prize pool of Rs.10 lakh, awards will be presented to the top 20 players in each category, making this one of the most competitive events of the year in the junior chess circuit.