Sanjith Das
Port Blair, July 28: Due to the indifference the civic body, the lone Hindu Graveyard in the city continues to remain in shambles. Lacking basic amenities like Footpath, Street lights, Watch and Ward Staff etc, the Graveyard at Anarkali has turned into a haven for drug addicts and anti-social elements, who freely use the area for illegal activities.
Though the sentiments of the Hindu community are hurt due to the negligence, the Municipal Council has turned a blind eye to the problem.
According to reports, the land for the Hindu Graveyard was allotted considering demands from the community. However, the Municipal Council, since allotment, neither bothered to construct proper footpaths in the graveyard nor cared to ensure proper illumination. At present the main footpath is in horrible shape and there is no branch footpath.
As a result, drug addicts and anti-social elements take control of the graveyard after dusk. With no fear of police action, the anti-social elements openly booze in the holy place and heaps of alcohol bottles seen all over the graveyard poses a grim picture of the apathy of the civic body.
According to Anarkali residents, activities like boozing, gambling etc in a graveyard in an immoral act. “The condition of the graveyard is deteriorating every day and a huge public uprising is in the making. Drug addicts and gamblers carry on illegal activities without any fear of the law enforcing agencies. The Municipal Council too does not bother to construct footpaths and install street lights in the graveyard. Repeated appeals have fallen on deaf ears. The Police should conduct regular inspections in the graveyard and the Municipal Council should immediate construct footpath and install street lights to upkeep the sanctity of the graveyard. Even a Watch and Ward staff needs to be posted to ensure proper maintenance of the graveyard,” said some Anarkali residents.
The General Secretary of Human Rights Organisation, Mr G Saravana also condemned the illegal activities at the Anarkali Hindu Graveyard. “Activities like alcoholism, gambling etc at a Graveyard is totally unacceptable and the Police should take strict action against the offenders. Besides indiscriminate dumping of garbage in the graveyard should also be checked. Moreover, the concerned agencies of the administration should also fulfil the demand for construction of footpath, street lights and posting a Watchman in the graveyard,” he said.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Mayabunder, July 28: The Andaman and Nicobar Administration has planned a helipad at Ross and Smith Islands (Sagardweep) which will surely be a blessing for people of the region and also for tourism in future.
According to reports, work for Helipad-cum-Playground has already been started at Ross and Smith Island (Sagardweep) so that helicopter can land in the remote location in case of any emergency and the same could be used by the youths of the region for sports.
Talking to Andman Sheekha, Mr Krishna Mohan Uppu, the Deputy Commissioner of North and Middle Andaman today said that following the idea of the Lt Governor of A & N Islands, the work for helipad-cum-playground has been started.
The DC also said that a land has also been allotted at remote Hanspuri village of Mayabunder for construction of another Helipad.
Further he said that following the instructions of Lt Governor, Administration has chosen Ramnagar Village of Diglipur as Adarsh Gram Village therefore soon a number of positive developments will be visible in the Ramnagar.

DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, July 26: Days after a Counsellor of the A & N AIDS Control Society lost his life after a self-immolation bid over held-up wages, another sorry account of daily rated workers has come to light from the North and Middle Andaman District.
About several DRMs serving various Panchayat Raj Institutions in the district are struggling to make ends meet as they have been deprived of salaries for the last 10 months.
Though regular officials posted in the Panchayat Samity offices are disbursed salaries on regular basis, wages of daily rated workers have been held-up for official goof-ups by the Directorate of Rural Development.
According to reports, 35 DRMs workings in 15 Panchayat Samity Offices in Diglipur Sub Division and many others in 16 Panchayats in Mayabunder, Rangat and Kadamtala have been forced to starvation for the last 10 months.
The distressed lot were paid wages @ Rs. 271-296 (Rs 7000/-pm on average) in the month of September last year. Many of the DRMs have been serving the offices since establishment. But non-disbursal of wages regularly, unrest is gradually brewing among the workers.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Executive Engineer, PRI, N & M Andaman, Mr. Ismail Sardar said that due to an error on the part of the Directorate of Rural Development, no funds have been allotted for the financial years 2014-15 and 2015-16 for salaries and the entire payments system is managed through a paltry 5% allocation for contingency works.
The Lt. Governor, Chief Secretary, Secretary, Rural Development intervened in the matter in 2014-15 and a solution was worked out to pay wages to the labourers from the 5% allocation of funds.
Investigation by this daily revealed that payments were released to DRMs in Mayabunder Office where the office of the Executive Engineer exists, after DRMs planned agitation. But payment for other DRMs serving in Kadamtala, Diglipur and Mayabunder have not been release since October 2014, while salaries of workers at Rangat have been held-up since September 2014.
According to latest update only a few days back just eight DRMs were paid the salary after Andaman Sheekha team questioned some top officers but what about others?
“We are under extreme stress as it has become difficult to sustain due to non-disbursal of salaries since the last 10 months. We’ve no other source of income and rely on the salary of about Rs 7000/- per month to run our families. Facing hardships, some workers also obtained personal loans from Banks hoping that they would be able to repay after the release of salaries. But even after 10 months, the Heads of Offices have failed to release the salaries and we’re receiving regular notices from the Banks for repayment of loans instalments. Even our legitimate right for salaries is not being granted, leave alone regularisation of services. Though regular officials like EEs, AEs and JEs are paid regularly, poor DRMs are made to suffer due to the apathy of the authorities. We’re left with no other option than to resort to a massive protest soon to press for our demands,” said some upset workers.

Amit Halder
Port Blair, July 27: Though the Municipal Council secured approval for reconstruction of the prime Gandhi Market after years of official correspondences, shopkeepers of the Market have started objecting to the rebuilding claiming a flawed plan. Shopkeepers of Gandhi Market kept their shutters down on last Friday as a token protest against the move.
According to reports, the shopkeepers claim that the reconstruction plan of Gandhi Market has no provision for wider path to enable bigger vehicles to enter the complex. Speaking to Andaman Sheekha, a shopkeeper of Gandhi Market claimed that if the new construction plan is allowed, the existing footpath will be narrowed further. In the event of any fire accident, fire tenders and ambulances will not be able to enter the complex thus causing havoc in the market place. “Fire accidents have been reported on atleast 3 to 4 occasions in the past and the need for atleast 6 mtr of footpath is absolutely necessary to secure the prominent market complex in the city. The Municipal Council should accede to our demands and amend the building plan to facilitate approach of emergency vehicles to the complex in the interest of the shopkeepers and the public,” the shopkeeper said.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, July 24: The Stage is finally set for the conduct of maiden Andaman and Nicobar Islands Pre-Medical Test (ANIPMT) 2015 for admissions to the first batch of ANIIMERS on Aug 2, 2015. Addressing media persons the Director, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Medical Education & Research Society (ANIMERS), Major General (retd) RP Choubey today said that 900 candidates who will be appearing for the examination have been directed to bring their admit card only.
He said that the Admit Cards to all the provisionally eligible 900 candidates have been dispatched by speed post to their respective addresses and in case of non-receipt, candidates can contact the Officer-in-Charge of ANIPMT Examination with original receipt of application form, photo identity proof on July 27 for a duplicate copy of the Admit Card, said the ANIMERS Director addressing a press conference on Friday. The Officer-in-Charge of Examination Cell, Prof. TK Bhattacharya, was also present on the occasion.
“All efforts have been made to conduct the ANIPMT 2015 in a free and fair manner and it’s expected that the total allocated 85 seats in the first batch of the ANIMERS will be filled-up by local candidates. The ANIPMT 2015 will be held in two Centres, Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM) and Kendriya Vidyalaya – I near the Office of the Chief Engineer, APWD, from 10 am to 1 pm. Candidates will have to report at their respective Examination Centre by 9 am on the day of the entrance exams and no candidates will be allowed to enter the exam venue after 9.30 am. To avoid any inconvenience, candidates from remote islands are advised to reach Port Blair a day prior to the examination particularly due to the current inclement weather condition,” informed Major General (retd) Choubey.
The ANIPMT 2015, conducted as per the diktat of the Apex Court and guidelines of the Medical Council of India, will consist of 180 Multi Choice Questions of one mark each (45-Physics, 45-Chemistry, 90-Biology). But contrary to the AIPMT, there will be no negative marking for incorrect answers and islanders have an exclusive opportunity to qualify in the entrance test for pursue medical education as career in ANIMERS. The administration has hired a top mainland-based agency for preparation of question papers for the medical entrance. Results of ANIPMT 2015 will be announced on Aug 10, 2015 and candidates willing for re-verification will have to apply within 4 days from the announcement of the result. The application for re-verification should be enclosed with a fee of Rs 1000/- in the form of Demand Draft, Bankers Cheque drawn from any nationalised Bank, self-addressed envelope with Rs 100 postage stamp, informed the ANIIMS Director.
Candidates appearing for ANIPMT 2015 should be present at the Examination Centre with Admit Card only issued by the competent authority and should not be in possession of items like textual materials (hand written or printed), paper bits, pens, watches, wallets, belts, mobiles, water bottles or any electronic gadgets. Black Ball pens for answering in the examination will be provided to candidates in the examination hall. Candidates should wear light colored clothes, preferably half-sleeve shirts and should not wear caps or scarf. There will be strict frisking by male and female security staff at the entrance of the examination centre and candidates found guilty of using unfair means will be dealt with strictly including cancellations of his/her candidature, cautioned the ANIIMS Director.
Question booklet and OMR Answer Sheet will be handed over to the candidates 10 minutes before the examination and candidates should ensure that the Question Booklet contains the requisite number of pages and OMR Sheet. Any discrepancy noticed should be brought the notice of the Invigilator. Once confirmed, the candidates will have to enter the Index Number mentioned in the Admit Card in the appropriate space in the OMR Sheet and sign with date in the OMR sheet. Invigilators have also been instructed to verify the identity of the candidate from the admit card issued and obtain the signature and left thumb impression on the attendance sheet. Candidates will also have to enter the serial number of the OMR Sheet in the space provided on the attendance sheet. Candidates should think carefully before darkening the corresponding answer circle in the OMR sheet and erasing will not be feasible. Rough work, if any, should be done on the blank pages provided in the question booklet. Candidates should not write/disfigure the question booklet as it has be returned intact with the OMR after the examination, failing which, the candidate’s examination is liable to be cancelled. No candidate will be allowed to leave the examination hall before 1 pm, informed the Officer-in-Charge of Examination Cell, Prof. TK Bhattacharya.
The provisional results of the ANIPMT 2015 will be declared on Aug 10, 2015 and will be posted in the college’s portal and notice board of the institute. Candidates should preserve the admit card in original to appear the counselling sessions to be held on Aug 20, Aug 25 and Aug 31, 2015. A special counselling session, if required, will be held on Sept 8, 2015. Shortlisted candidates for the counselling should bring all documents, certificates, bonds mentioned in the prospectus, during the counselling sessions, said Prof Bhattacharya adding that he will be available to respond to queries/clarifications, if any, on Doordarshan’s Aapke Sawal programme on July 27, 2015 at 5.30 pm.

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, July 24: The Bhatu Basti junction has become one of the most prominent areas of South Andaman region but due to indiscriminate garbage dumping and freely roaming cattle, the area looks very dirty and also very underdeveloped.
A few years back when the vegetable vendors had created a total mess at Bhatu Basti Junction they were shifted to a separate area far from the Junction but close to the main road. This was also done to keep the Bhatu Basti Junction clean and free from cattle.
But now it has been found that at least three major vegetable shops have come up in Bhatu Basti Junction area and they have now again started dumping vegetable waste on the road side during evening hours.
This is one of the major reasons why dozens of dozens of cattle get attracted towards the Bhatu Basti Junction all the time. The not only come to the Bhatu Basti Junction to eat the waste vegetables but they create a total chaos at the Junction, almost everyday.
During late evening hours one can see vegetable vendors openly throwing vegetable waste right on the road, which is the key reason why the junction looks so dirty and unorganized.
All vegetable vendors must be strictly instructed to dispose of vegetable waste in a proper manner so that the prominent junction can be kept clean and free from cattle

Port Blair, July 24: The Andaman Sai Seva Samity (ASSS), A & N Islands distributed school kits containing uniforms, bags, notebooks and shoes to 37 students of Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Rangachang on Thursday. The Chairman, UT Commission for protection of child rights, Smt Sheela Singh distributed the kits to the students from the economically weaker sections of the society.
In her address, Smt Singh appreciated the efforts of Sai Seva Samity particularly for the welfare of the rural and remote population of these islands. She also highlighted the need for protection of rights of the children, role of teachers, parents and society and the necessity of the UT commission in these Islands. Mr Ghan Shyam, President, Andaman Sai Seva Samiti, Mr Rajesh Puria, Mr Santosh kumar Singh, Advisory Board Members were also present on the occasion.
Saplings were also planted in the school premises as part of celebration of the 66th Van Mahotsava. The Incharge of the school proposed the vote of thanks.

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, July 21: The Port Blair city is becoming too congested for vehicles day by day. Everyday one can see hundreds of vehicles parked along the road side, jamming the already narrow and congested roads of Port Blair city. Not only this, branch roads like, Supply Line road also remains jam-packed because of illegal parking of four wheelers along the road side.
In fact the Supply Line road, which starts from Annapurna Cafeteria and ends in front Bharat General Stores, has become a parking zone for most of the traders and public.
The Administration has recently constructed a huge parking area infront of the SAI hostel, Netaji Stadium but sadly the parking area largely remains empty while city roads remain fully occupied with illegally parked four wheelers.
Although the top portion of the parking area, situated opposite New Light House Restaurant remains occupied with some vehicles, but in that parking area too, due to illegal parking most of the area in the back portion remain unoccupied.
This is high time for the traffic department to make it mandatory for people visiting Aberdeen Bazaar and adjoining areas to park their vehicles only in the new parking area, opposite SAI Hostel, Netaji Stadium. Parking of four wheelers must be banned inside Bazaar area so that movement of vehicles become easy inside city and cases of accident could be minimized.
“People have the mentality to park their vehicle just in front of the shop they visit. Same is the case with shop owners they want to park their vehicles in front of their shop. Nobody wants to walk even for 50 mtrs. This mentality has to be changed,” said a resident of Aberdeen Bazaar.

Port Blair, July 21: Driving in Andamans has become a risky ride for most motorists because of the poorly constructed and unkept speed breakers on city roads.

Several accidents in and around city due to faulty speed breakers have brought to the fore the need for proper construction of the speed breakers with road safety features as in Andaman none of the speed breaker has equal or standard size.

Islanders are now demanding that all speed breakers should be properly painted and that there should also be warning signs ahead of each speed breaker.

Such flawed speed-breakers, marked or unmarked, are spread through the length and breadth of A & N Islands.

Officials are happy after only constructing speed breakers but what befuddle citizens is the different sizes and shapes of these speed breakers.

Some are low, some are high. Many of them are so unwieldy constructed that an unsuspecting driver has no option but to slam the brakes at the last minute.

“All over South Andaman region, speed-breakers that do not meet IRC norms of slope, width and breadth have been constructed. They pose a threat to citizens and their vehicles,” says a resident of Port Blair.

Indian Roads Congress (IRC) norms categorically mention that speed-breakers should be only four inches high, one metre broad with 1.25 metres of slope on both sides.

“After speed-breakers are built, they should be marked and necessary road signs put up to alert drivers. If these procedures are followed, many accidents can be prevented. A special squad should be formed to repair them within a fixed time period, say six months,” said an Islander.

In Andaman size of the speed breakers depends upon the wild imagination of the contractors and it seemed that after construction of these speed breakers nobody from APWD even check the size of these speed breakers, which ultimately put lives of common man at risk.

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, July 19: Even as the Central Government led by premier Narendra Modi aims at providing efficient governance and digital services to citizens through the Digital India Platform launched recently, a major cyber scam in the Electricity Department has come to fore.
Before the valediction of the Digital India week in these islands during which various government departments observed befitting programmes including awareness camps on cyber crimes, an activist exposed the scam in the Electricity Site Office at Prothrapur, which allegedly could run into crores of rupees.
Though a fact finding committee reported major discrepancies in the revenue statements generated by the Billing Software installed in the Site Office by manipulating consumer database, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is reportedly only probing the financial irregularities and no action is being taken in the cyber fraud angle, for reasons best known to investigating agencies.
According to information divulged under the RTI Act, a fact finding committee for cyber crime reported discrepancies in the revenue statement generator of the FOXPRO-based Billing Software at the Prothrapur Site Office in the year 2013.
The report categorically stated that the discrepancies cannot arise unless any official modifies the database records and suspected officials of the Site Office to be involved in overriding or manipulating the software database to damage the smooth functioning of the Department.
The committee also recommended constitution of a committee to probe the charges. Accordingly, the Electricity Department constituted a three-member Committee in November 26, 2013 to inquire into the frequent alternations in the data of the FOXPRO application vis-à-vis past data and to assess the Web Based Billing Software at Prothrapur and Birdline Site Office for its readiness to roll out.
The Committee was directed to submit its report within 7 days. However even after a lapse of more than 18 months, the Committee has failed to submit its reports for reasons better known to the authorities.
A member of the Committee, requesting anonymity, said that it is beyond any doubt that the consumer database was manipulated by officials of the Site Office having access to the software.
Consumer details were altered to siphon off money from the government treasury. Had the Committee submitted its report within the stipulated period, atleast two to three officials would have been suspended or terminated from government service.
Many question whether it is an apparent bid to shield the officials involved in the scam? Aggrieved over slack action by the administration, some people shot letters to the Prime Minister of India, Central Vigilance Commission and the Central Bureau of Investigation after which the administration referred the case to the Anti-Corruption Unit. But strangely, the Anti Corruption Unit till date did not seize the Computer used in the scam.
Instead the Unit is investigating the monetary angle in the scam, while no case has been registered under the Cyber Security laws.
The Information Technology Act 2000 has recommends action against people found guilty in manipulating computer-related data, but the Anti-Corruption Unit did not register any case under those provisions.
If investigated properly, several startling facts will be revealed, the official said.
Highly placed sources told Andaman Sheekha that the Power Department is reeling under losses to the tune of over 30 crores.
The manipulation in the consumer database in the Prothrapur Site Office could also be an attempt to minimize losses in the official records.
“For the corrupt practices of some officials, the Electricity Department has suffered losses of crores for the last several years. The Electricity Department should investigate the case seriously and those found guilty should be taken to task,” says a
responsible citizen of these Islands.
Meanwhile, the RTI activist who revealed the scam in the Power Department is mulling over filing a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court of Calcutta. It has been proven beyond doubt that consumer database was manipulated causing loss to the government.
However, the Police has failed to initiate appropriate action. Immediate FIRs should be lodged and the suspects should be interrogated thoroughly. A case under the cyber security laws should also be initiated, the activist said.
However, Taking to Andaman Sheekha an officer of Electricity Department, who does not want his name to be quoted, claimed that this act did not cause any loss to the Government as fresh bills were later issued and a detailed report has been sent to EE Headquarter in this regard.