Trinath & Savita Kumari
Port Blair, Aug 02: Dr. Angel Bhati Chauhan, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of North and Middle Andaman District today said that large number of beneficiaries of North and Middle Andaman region have been benefited under welfare schemes of Government of India.
In a telephonic conversation with media the DC said that the people of Andaman have suffered many problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, however the Government of India has extended several welfare schemes to help people in this time of pandemic and A & N Administration has always tried that the benefits reach to maximum beneficiaries, the DC said.
Under “Matsya Sampada Yojana”, the administration has coordinated with the Fisheries Department and almost 32 awareness camps were organised so that more and more people could get into this scheme and get benefited.
“Although Administration has received more than 200 applications and we are very proud to say that 17 people’s works have been completed and soon we will be releasing their first installment of subsidy amount,” she added.
The DC further pointed out that for the framers of the N&M Andaman District, formation of farmer producer organization is in process.
“Basically the main purpose of the administration is that we want to create a marketing/ selling environment where the produce of the farmers will get a good market. We have got many registration and some are under process through which the administration could ensure to provide a better income to farmers,” she added.
The DC also mentioned that apart from that, pension which is being given to farmers under government schemes, a revised listing is going on in which total 800 beneficiary’s data have been received by administration who were left out from the earlier list, these people will be soon verified.
Under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the second phases has been started in all the three tehsils, in which the work has been completed at advance stage and almost more than 6KM road has been completed and the fund for third phase has been released by Ministry concerned, very soon tender will be floated and work will start, Dr. Bhati added.

John Wilbert & Savita Kumar
Port Blair, Jul 23: Residents of Kadamtala Middle Andaman witnessed horrible time due to frequent power cuts in the Kadamtala area for the past four days.
According to villagers several complaints have been made to the Electricity Department but the power issue remained unresolved for four long days.
When Andaman Sheekha contacted the Ex- Pradhan of Kadamtala, Mr. Sampad Kumar Roy, he said that it took four days to solve power outrage issue in Kadamatala region by Electricity Department, which shouldn’t have happened.
“We understand that bad weather conditions play a huge role in such cases but four days responding time is unacceptable,” he added.
Later when Andaman Sheekha contacted Mrs. Deepa Nair, Executive Engineer of the electricity department, she said that the entire North and Middle Andaman District is facing electricity problems due to high wind speed and heavy rainfall.
“Every 10-15 minutes we receive complaints and information about trees and branches falling on electric lines and snapping of power lines. Apart from this, network connectivity is also poor here. Our staffs are working round the clock on the field and we are doing our best to solve the problem as soon as possible,” the Executive Engineer Mrs. Nair added.
Insiders told Andaman Sheekha that in remote areas shortage of staffs in Electricity Site offices is a major reason behind such delays. EEs, AEs and JEs are helpless in remote areas because they do not have sufficient man power to cover vast areas, under their jurisdiction .The SE electricity must take up this matter with senior officers and provide sufficient number of staffs to all remote Site Offices of Electricity Department.

John Wilbert
Port Blair, July 19: In a shocking development a number Jarawa youths reportedly entered inside private plantation area of Shantanu Village, Kadamtala, Middle Andaman and cut nearly 40 fully grown Arecanut Trees and took those trees with them.

Mr. Prakash Mandal, incharge of INC in Uttara told Andaman Sheekha Daily over phone that some villagers saw Jarawa Tribal people cutting those Arecanut Trees but out of fear they could not stop them. The Jarawa Tribal people were carrying machetes, he claimed.

According to Mr. Mandal this incident took place on 16 July 2021. “Since last two years Jarawa Tribal people are entering in our villages but they used to leave with some fruits and coconuts etc but this is the first time when they caused such damage to private plantation,” he added.

Mr. Mandal also claimed that the Jarawa Tribal people came in a dinghy however, when officials of Tribal Welfare of both Kadamtala and Middle Strait region were questioned, they refuted any such news saying they do not have any such information.

They claimed that they are keeping close eye on the movement of Jarawa Tribes due to COVID-19 situation and hence there is no chance anyone from Jarawa Tribe can do this.
Entering of Jarawa tribal people in village areas is not a new thing in Kadamtala region of Middle Andaman. Andaman Sheekha had earlier reported about dozens of such incidents but in present scenario such undetected movement of Jarawa Tribal people, could be dangerous for entire Tribal Community because of the threat of COVID-19 infection.
If in this case some Jarawa Tribal people had entered Middle Andaman villages by duping officials of Tribal Welfare department, then this is a serious issue and such lapses must not be repeated.
Villagers of Middle Andaman are also demanding for a full proof mechanism to keep Jarawa Tribal People away from Middle Andaman villages to avoid any conflict between Jarawa Tribes and villagers of Middle Andaman, in coming days.