ANDAMAN SHEEKHA

The True Mirror of A & N Islands

Major protest at Port Blair airport for cancellation of Spice Jet flight

by Leave a Comment

Sarthak Kanjilal

Port Blair, Dec 16: Dream vacation to Andaman Islands of many tourists today turned sour when they found their Spice Jet flight to Chennai was cancelled without any prior notice.
Large number of passengers, who found themselves stranded in Port Blair, without any lodge or hotel bookings, today staged protest at Port Blair International Airport against the Spice Jet Airlines.
Passengers alleged that the staffs of Spice Jet kept on giving them misleading updates about flight arrival time. “Everytime they gave a new arrival time to us, forcing us to cancel our next flight tickets and get a new ticket. Surprisingly they changed arrival time twice causing huge loss to us for re-cancellation and new tickets. Finally they said that the flight won’t come. Is this some kind of joke,” said an angry passenger.
Later passenger went to Secretariat to meet concerned secretary but they were sent to Airport Authority of India after a long wait but later AAI officials asked the passengers to meet officials in Secretariat.
“There was no one to listen to our problems. Who will refund our money? At Port Blair we don’t have any hotel bookings where will we go?” questioned a passengers.
Later at the evening the passengers were asked to evacuate the Airport because of security reasons. However, with the help of travel agents they somehow managed shelter at Port Blair for tonight.

Sick vessel MV Afra Bay upset Passengers; Protest infront of DSS office

by Leave a Comment

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Dec 16: Large number of passengers from Pani Ghat today staged protest against sick vessel MV Afra Bay’s horrible service.
Residents of Panighat upset by slow and horrible service of MV Afra Bay this morning refused to board the vessel at Pani Ghat and demanded a fit vessel in Pani Ghat and Port Blair sector. The passengers alleged that the vessel not only makes deafening noise but also takes 30 minutes to reach Port Blair, which is just 15 minutes away, resulting in delay to school kids and office goers. Moreover according to passengers sea water comes inside the vessel during every sailing.
When agitating passengers demanded a fit vessel, the MV Afra Bay reportedly went back and after sometimes the same vessel came back to pick up the passengers, giving excuse that no other vessels are available for them.
Fuming passengers reached DSS building and demanded an explanation. After which the Director of Shipping Services Mr. Rajender Kumar and the Deputy Director of Shipping Services Mr. R. Veeriah spoke to angry passengers and informed that the DSS does not have any other vessel in spare for the sector. However the director promised to make necessary repairs in the vessel, wherever possible.

26 years old man jumps into sea from MV Nicobar

by 1 Comment

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Dec 16: A 26 year old man today jumped into the sea from the vessel MV Nicobar near Ross Island at about 12:00pm for committing suicide.
According to sources, the vessel left the Haddo port for Kolkata at 10:30 am in the morning, and as the vessel reached near Ross Island at 12:00pm the man jumped into the sea.
Co passengers who saw the man jumping into the sea, immediately informed the matter to the seamen of the vessel, and on information the ship engine shut down to look for the person. Sources also claimed that the person started swimming towards the shore after jumping into the sea.
A strong watch was kept by the seamen of the ship while the person was swimming.
Later the person reached the Dugnabad seashore, near Loknath Temple by swimming. A team of Police Marine Force and Police reached the spot and took the Person to the G.B. Pant Hospital.

Safety Compromised: Fire Safety most neglected subject in Government Offices

by Leave a Comment

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Dec 11: Nearly one year back, complete re-wiring of Animal Husbandry Department was done by spending several lacks rupees but within a year now the faulty wirings are giving nightmares to staffs of the said department.
According to highly placed sources two months back there was a massive short circuit in the record-room of the Animal Husbandry Department.
According to safety norms in case of short circuit or any fault in wiring the Circuit breaker (MCB) should handle it but in this case the short circuit resulted in fire that too inside the record room. Luckily the staffs of the Department showed tremendous courage and removed the fuse and controlled the fire, otherwise entire office would have reduced to ashes on that day.
In the same department since yesterday, the works of installation of online UPS is in progress and due to faulty wiring yesterday again there was short circuit which damaged a computer.
One wonders that what was the quality of work carried out by the contractor and how the department released money without checking the wirings thoroughly?
Condition is not different in other government offices. The G B Pant Hospital has witnessed three short circuits in last five months. There was a massive fire in the Secretariat building recently.
This is high time for the Administration to order a full fledge fire safety audit for every government offices in A & N Islands to ensure safety of everybody.

Turtle comes on Haddo Sea-Shore Road, Rescued

by Leave a Comment

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Dec 11: A full-size Turtle was sighted at Haddo near Chatham Police Station this noon. According to reports the Turtle came out of sea and was walking on the sea shore road. A huge crowd gathered to see the magnificent creature, many started clicking photographs. Soon the wildlife division of Forest was intimated. Later the staffs of wildlife division rescued the Tortoise and took it to some safe location.

Bishnu requests Lt. Governor to celebrate 25 December as Good Governance Day

by Leave a Comment

Port Blair, Dec 11: As per, the direction of Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India and Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, GOI, New Delhi, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, the Member of Parliament of A & N Islands vide his letter dated 5/12/2014 has requested the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, A & N Administration for celebrating the “Good Governance Day” on the occasion of Birthday of Mr. Atal Bihari Bajpayee (the first Prime Minister of NDA Govt.) on 25/12/2014 in befitting manner. The theme of the day would be “Bhay, Bhook aur Brastachar Mukt Bharat”.
Mr. Ray has also suggested for declaration some issues, subjected to feasibility such as Citizen charter including adoption of good citizen charter at par with Madhya Pradesh Government namely “Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act”; Swatch Bharat in all Anganwadies and schools; Construction of public toilets within a time frame; Toilets of individuals in revenue and forest areas; Medical camp on Health Care of students in the schools and Aganwadies; Process simplification by modifying the existing notification for allowing financial benefit to the Oldage widow, differently abled/ destitute on the basis of certificate by Tehsildar for annual income upto Rs.1 lakhs per annum and resident proof of 10 year and distribution of Laptops as per Plan Book of education department, etc.

BSNL network in North and Middle Andaman Collapses : Banking and net related Services down in North & Middle Andaman

by Leave a Comment

Muralidharan Pillai & DJ Venkatesh
Mayabunder, Dec 10: The BSNL network in North and Middle has totally collapsed, giving nightmares to residents of remote Islands. Because of zero connectivity the banking and other related services are badly hit, leaving public on the crossroads.
Residents of remote islands allege that they are neither able to withdraw money from ATMs nor they are able to get money from banks.
Surprisingly the Airtel and Reliance network is working in these places but BSNL has stopped working.
When questioned one senior staff of BSNL at Mayabunder told Andaman Sheekha that due to damage in Optical Fiber Cable at Baratang the service has gone down. The official even alleged sabotage and said that someone has intentionally cut the OFC cable.
If so, then the BSNL must tell public that how Airtel and Reliance network is working in North and Middle Andaman, which uses same OF Cable?
People in Diglipur, Mayabuder etc Bazaar area are anyhow managing the show by switching to other network but what about people living in remote villages, they are completely isolated now.
“Those who want to fill forms online and buy ticket online are forced to go to Port Blair to access Internet. This is shameful that the Administration can’t provide basic internet connectivity. This is a trick of BSNL to indirectly ask customers to switch to other networks,” said a resident of Mayabunder.
The BNSL must immediately send a senior team of experts to North and Middle Andaman to tackle the situation.

One arrested from Junglighat for raping a minor

by Leave a Comment

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Dec 10: One person has been arrested today by PS Aberdeen for allegedly raping a minor. According to reports the crime was committed a few days back but the complaint has been launched yesterday by the 17 years old girl and her family. The accused, name yet not known, 22 years, is said to be the neighbor of the victim, who lives in Junglighat Fishermen colony with her parents. The rape was committed in the boy’s house and it is not yet clear why there was so much delay in lodging the complaint. The accused will be produced to court tomorrow.

PMB in process of extending the existing Neil & Havelock Jetties: CPA

by Leave a Comment

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Dec 06: The Port Management Board is in the process of extending the existing Neil Island jetty and Havelock jetty, which are old now and need urgent attention.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, the Chief Port Authority, PMB, Mr Jyothi Giridhara Rao has said that the existing Havelock Jetty will be extended by 100 meters while the Neil Islands existing jetty will be extended by 50 meters.
“We will also widen the approach of both the Jetties. “The work will be executed by the Andaman Laksdweep Harbour works,” Mr Jyothi said.
Adding to this Mr Jyothi said that the construction of Jetties at Strait Island and Sagar Dweep (Diglipur) is in full swing. “Once completed these Jetties benefit the locals in future,” he said.
PMB through ALHW has already positioned floating Jetties for the convenience of the local population of Jagannath Dera and Hanspuri.

Official glitches hold up NREGA wages in N&M region ::: Troubled by financial problems fisherman Commits Suicide at Rangat

by Leave a Comment

Senthil Kumar
Rangat, Dec 8: Official hiccups have rendered trouble for hundreds of labourers engaged under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in the North and Middle Andaman District. Sources claim that for shortage of funds and poor administration, the NREGA workers engaged in various projects have not been disbursed their wages for the last three months, despite a firm guideline of the Act to disburse wages to the workers within 15 days after the completion of the work.
Such delay is now taking toll, recently Mr. S Kotesh, 70 years a NREGA worker and fishermen of Rangat area has committed suicide. His son Mr. S Sankar alleged that due to financial problem his father committed suicide and if the NREGA money would have been released in time, his life could have been saved. Is this an indication for another crisis in near future?
As per the Act, NREGA workers should be provided their wages within 15 days from the end of the work period i.e every week the management should be clear the weekly payment to the daily wage workers. However, due to the hold up of wages, more than 15,000 families in the district are facing hardships. Sources claim that the major delay caused in disbursement of wages is from the Deputy Commissioner Office due to snail pace file works. Moreover, the DC doesn’t take prompt steps to address the issues of poor MNREGA labourers, sources allege.
“It is now more than three months that our hard-earned salaries have been held up by the district administration. Our families are facing hardships due to the inordinate delay in release of wages. More than 15,000 families in various parts of the region have been employed under the NREGA scheme for various projects. But without wages, they are facing innumerable hardships. Besides purchase of food provisions have become a tricky affair with penniless pockets. We are left with no other option than to hold protests to claim our salaries,” say some labourers.