Ganeshan

Baratang, Aug 12: The logjam at Middle Andaman’s Baratang Island over Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) survey of fiber boats continued for the third day. The Baratang Fiber Owners Boat Association started indefinite hunger strike on 10 August 2015 protesting against IRS Survey, which they fear will reduce the carrying capacity of fiber boats and cause huge loss to them.

Today the Assistant Commissioner of Rangat Island, Middle Andaman, Tehsilder Rangat and the Dy. SP Middle Andaman visited the protesting site and interacted with the agitating people but the matter could not be resolved.

The agitating boat owners however made it clear if they get an appointment with the Lt. Governor to put forward their demands and issues directly they will withdraw the Hunger Strike immediately, following which a fax message was sent by the AC of Rangat to Raj Niwas to communicate the demand.

Meanwhile a delegation of Baratang boat owners, led by the Andaman Congress unit president Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma will meet the Chief Secretary of A & N Administration tomorrow, to find some solution to this problem.

Two more people have also joined the agitation today making the total number to four.

Yesterday, a meeting was called at the chamber of Secretary Tourism Mr. Rakesh Bali in this regard in which representatives of Baratang Fiber Owners Boat Association were invited for talks. Mr. Khurma Rao the Zilla Parishad Member of Baratang also attended the meeting. On behalf of Baratang Fiber Owners Boat Association Mr G Vikas and Mr. Nagraj attended the meeting, which could not resolve the issue.

Sanjith Das
Port Blair, Aug 12: All the 12 candidates put up by the Port & Dock Workers’ Union (affiliated to CITU), have won the election to the Works Committee in the Andaman Labour Force held yesterday with huge margin. The election witnessed keen contest between the Port & Dock Workers’ Union (CITU) and General Employees Union (INTUC). This is the fourth time that the Port & Dock Workers’ Union is winning the election to the Works Committee in Andaman Labour Force continuously.
Immediately after the results of the election were declared, the members of the Port & Dock Workers Union led by its President B. Chandrachoodan and General Secretary S. Chinnaih took out a victory procession from Haddo Wharf upto Haddo Junction in the evening today. Addressing the workers, Shri B. Chandrachoodan said that the victory of the CITU Union in the Andaman Labour Force will be a boost to the movements being carried out by the CITU in these islands against the anti-labour policies of the central government.

Sarthak Kanjilal

Port Blair, Aug 11: In an interesting turn in the entire episode of protest over Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) Survey by Baratang Fiber Boat Owners Association, the Administration today claimed that the boat owners of Baratang have agreed to conduct IRS Survey.

Mr. Rakesh Bali, the Secretary of Tourism today told Andaman Sheekha that after discussing with the boat associations it was decided that all the unions will make a schedule for this survey considering which they will be given further extension. Most of the boat operators have paid their fees for this survey and Administration is giving them the permission.

“We also had two meetings with the Baratang Fiber Boat Operators and we have convinced them that IRS survey is a legal requirement and without the IRS the permission granted to the small boats will always be temporary as IRS is a requirement of law and Baratang fiber boat operators also accepted this and agreed to carry out the IRS survey and we have assured them that the administration will help them in all circumstances so that the survey may carry out as soon as possible and in a very simple way as per the legal requirements,” Mr. Bali told Channel One news and Andaman Sheekha today.

He said that the Baratang tour operators have assured Administration that they will soon join the survey and also he has appealed the boat operators to withdraw their hunger strike.

“There was no demand from the boat operators but they had suggestions and as soon as the survey process will start the department will work on their suggestions,” Mr. Bali assured.

However, later talking to Andaman Sheekha the Boat operators of Baratang have clarified that they never agreed to IRS Survey and this is the reason why they will continue their hunger strike even tomorrow.

DJ Venkatesh
Nimbudera, Aug 10: Today three elephants were sighted on the ATR road at Pathar Tikry of Nimbudera area, Middle Andaman. According to public no Mahaut were seen nearby. Frightened vehicle owners waited for about 30 minutes to cross over the Road. Later the elephants went inside jungle without creating any problem, it is learnt.

Ganeshan
Port Blair, Aug 10: The Baratang Fiber Boat Owners’ Association today started indefinite hunger strike against the stringent safety norms of Administration, which makes IRS survey compulsory, even for small fiber boats.
According to Baratang fiber boat owners if a IRS survey is done the capacity of all boats will be reduced to 50 percent and hence the earning of boat owners will reduce and it will also increase the boat fare for visiting tourists, due to capacity reduction.
According to report, at around 08.30 am a rally started from Nilambur Jetty and ended at PWD Guest House area, where the stage for Indefinite Hunger Strike was set.
After the tragic boat capsize accident of Jan 26, 2014, the UT administration had ordered annual security audit and IRC Certification of all boats including Fiber Boats in these islands. However, the boat operators of Baratang in Middle Andaman are of the view that IRS Certification is not required for Fiber Boats and the second IRS Certification, if carried out, will reduce the strength of Fiber Boats causing huge losses to the Boat Operators in the region.
To deal with the situation, the Baratang Fiber Boat Operators Association had earlier demanded subsidy for purchase of boats and appointment of an Architect from the Indian Navy for finalization of designs of Fiber Boats. Further in the absence of any IRS Certification agency in these islands, the association also demanded that the passenger capacity of Fiber Boats, prior to the Jan 26 Boat tragedy, should be maintained. To press for their demands, the members of the Association had earlier threatened to go on a Hunger Strike on Aug 10, 2015.
Meanwhile, a meeting was convened today by the Secretary of Tourism regarding progress in IRS survey in fiber boats but participants could not reach to any conclusion and hence the Hunger Strike Continued.
However later, according to information, the secretary tourism has invited four members of the agitating association of Baratang for a talk at Secretariat tomorrow.
The Lt. Governor, A & N Islands has issued instructions to the Chief Secretary and the Secretary, Tourism, A & N Administration to explore ways to resolve the concerns of Baratang Tour Operators hopefully tomorrow’s meeting will bring some solution to this problem.
It has been learnt that four members of Baratang Fiber Boat Owners’ Association will be attending the meeting tomorrow at Secretariat but they have clarified that the Hunger Strike will however continue till they get any written assurance.

Sarthak Kanjilal & Sanjith Das
Port Blair, Aug 06: Heavy rainfall resulted in a major landslide in Atlanta Point area of Port Blair City this afternoon.
According to details available here because of continuous rain, the retaining wall of a house of Mrs. Sitamma collapsed causing excessive damages to a nearby house of Ms. Ayesha Bibi. One girl reportedly suffered injuries in this accident.
It has been learnt that some families were living in the house of Ms. Ayesha Bibi on rent and all the rented houses (under one roof) suffered damages.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Mr. M. Arumugam said that the victims will be shifted to PBMC guest house while Mr. Sudip Rai Sharma, nominated councilor of PBMC told Andaman Sheekha that he has taken some families to his hotel. The incident took place at around 4.00 PM.

Staff Correspondent
Baratang, Aug 05: The fiber boat operators of Middle Andaman’s Baratang region have threatened to go for an indefinite hunger strike against the stringent safety norms of Administration, which makes IRS survey compulsory, even for small fiber boats.

The main concern of Fiber boat operators of Baratang is reduction of capacity of the seats in the fiber boats after IRS survey, in fact the matter is hanging on fire since last one year but no proper solution has been found till date by the Administration, allege boat operators.

According to Baratang fiber boat owners if a survey is done the capacity of all boats will be reduced to 50 percent and hence the earning of boat owners will reduce and it will also increase the boat fare for visiting tourist due capacity reduction.

“Due to capacity reduction there will be an increase in the rates of boat tickets for tourists, for which we are actually not at all in favour because it will create disputes between us and local travel agents as well as tourists. But we will have to do this to minimize the loss due to capacity reduction,” the president of Baratang Tourist Fiber Boat Owners Association, Mr G Sanju told Andaman Sheekha today.

The fiber boat operators have other major agendas too, the agitating boat owners are also requesting the administration to provide some kind of subsidy as it was promised earlier by the administration under replacement scheme for fiber boats.

The boat operators are also demanding appointment of a Naval architect so that no one can misguide them or blackmail them in technical side while Survey.

The operators also allege that administration does not have a proper place for conducting IRS survey in Andaman.

Many other operators allege that before 2014 tourist boat tragedy, which killed around 21 tourists, near Ross Island, after IRS survey the seating capacity was not reduced in many cases but now the administration is telling them that the seating capacity will be reduced to 50 percent after IRS Survey.

Talking to Andaman Sheekha, the President of BRFBOA said that if the administration does not take any appropriate steps to solve this problem the Baratang Tourist Fiber Boat Owners Association will go for an indefinite hunger strike from 10 August 2015 at Baratang Island of Middle Andaman.

Baratang is one of the major hotspots for visiting tourists in Andaman. Located nearly 100 KM away from Port Blair the Baratang Island has Mud Volcano, Lime Stone Caves and Parrot Island, which attract thousands of tourists everyday.

Ganesh
Baratang, Aug 05: Following heavy rain and gusty wind a massive tree fell on a hut at South Creek village of Baratang Island, leaving two girls injured.
According to details available here at around 6.00 AM following bad weather a massive tree came down crashing on the house of Mr. Pandu Lohar, a resident of South Creek Baratang.
His two daughters Sonia Kumari, 20 years and Sheela Kumari, 17 years were sleeping inside the house while Mr. Pandu Lohar and his wife were outside, when the incident took place.
As per reports both Soniya Kumari and Sheela Kumari suffered injuries following which they were rushed to Primary Health Centre Baratang and from PHC Baratang they have been referred to Primary Health Centre, Kadamtala.
According to report in another incident, one more tree had fallen on the electric lines at Loragiz village of Baratang.
Earlier in July in a similar accident at Adazig one tree had fell on a house, damaging the house severely.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, July 31: The Swiftlet Nest Guest House located at the picturesque hilltop at Karmatang, Mayabunder in North Andaman bears testimony to the lackadaisical attitude of administration in ensuring optimal utilisation of government funds.
Once considered one of the best owned by the Tourism Department, the guest house is now left in ruins. From trying to manage the guest house on its own to lease out the property to private parties, the Tourism Department failed on all counts and ultimately abandoned the guest house completely.
As a result, the guest house now remains in ruins and even furniture, electrical equipments from the building have been plundered from the premises.
According to reports, the PRI members of the region have been demanding to handover the building to the local Panchayat for proper utilisation. But the Tourism Department never paid heed to the pleas. This guest house was considered amongst the best guest houses owned by the Tourism Department.
Tourists as well as government officials wished to stay in this guest house as it is located close to the famous Karmatang beach. However, lack of interest and callousness on the part of Tourism officials to run this remotely located guest house has led to the tourist lodging losing its opulence and finally becoming a haunted place. It is alleged that some daily rated workers posted in the Guest House took home electrical appliances like ACs, Geysers, Fans and furniture items as they were not paid their wages during the final days of operation.
“Senior tourism officials claim tall in promoting tourism in these islands disregarding the fact that first they have to get the infrastructure at home right. The Karmatang Guest House is a perfect example in this regard. The building constructed for lakhs of rupees have been left in ruins,” said some PRI members of the area.
The Karmatang Panchayat and PRI members of the area demanded that the building be handed over so that the asset could be utilized for some other purpose. But the Department never paid heed neither bothered to post at least two workers on daily rated basis as Watch and Ward and for the upkeep of the Guest House. Had the building been handed over to the Panchayat, it could have been used for several purposes. The closure of the guest house has led to the entire Karmatang area a non-active zone depriving several unemployed youth of employment opportunities,” say some others.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Mrs. Madhuri Giri, former Adhyaksha of Zilla Parishad and sitting Zilla Parishad Member said that this is total negligence of Tourism Department. “For Tourism Department, Tourism is only for Port Blair. My request is that the Tourism Department must look beyond Port Blair and focus on interior islands so that benefit of tourism reaches here,” she added.
Saw Thompson, the Pradhan of Ram Pur Panchayat said that this matter has been raised by him in several occasions to the senior officials but no one has paid any heed till today. “If Administration can’t take care of such a building, it should be handed over to Panchayat. It will be an asset for the Panchayat,” he added.