Port Blair, Feb 26: The unutilized and underutilized hilly lands at Diglipur are being covered under Cashew crop. Being a least maintenance and promising return crop it is being promoted under Rashtriya Kriishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and High Value Agriculture Programmes of Department of Agriculture. The main bottleneck of the cashew production is the nut processing part. Manual de-shelling of cashew nut is a difficult process, and this is the main reason for not getting the desired result. Keeping in view of this difficulty, the department of Agriculture established a cashew processing unit at Keralapuram village, Diglipur. This unit is first of its kind in the entire Union Territory.
On 24th February 2012, Mr. A.S. Dagar Secretary (Agri), A&N administration inaugurated the Cashew Processing unit at Keralapuram, Diglipur in a simple ceremony, in presence of Mr. P. Prasad, Adhyakash, Zilla Parishad, M&N Andaman. The Director of Agriculture, Director (Rural Development), Assistant Commissioner-Diglipur, Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad M&N Andaman, Pramukh, Panchayat Samiti Diglipur, PRI members, Officers of allied department, Farmers’ friends, farmers and other local people were present on the occasion.

There was another inauguration ceremony later in the evening hours at Nagabram Village, where new building of Rural Knowledge Centre was inaugurated by Mr. A.S.Dagar, IAS, Secretary (Agri.& RD) in presence of the same dignitaries present in the morning function. While addressing the gathering of more than hundred the Chief Guest expressed his views about the importance of Rural Knowledge Centre, and urged the local people to utilize the infrastructure and assets to gain knowledge and information. Adhyakash, Zilla Parishad, Pramuk, Panchayat Samiti Diglipur and Pradhan, Nabagram Gram Panchayat expressed their views on the occasion. Officers of various departments, PRI members, Farmers friend, farmers and other local people attended the function which concluded with vote of thanks given by Mr. Ramesh Kumar, Assistant Director (Agri.),Diglipur.

Special Correspondent

Diglipur, Feb 24: A Major Bush Fire was reported from Madhupur Creek of Diglipur this afternoon following which fire tenders of Diglipur Fire Station and Andaman and Nicobar Command, Diglipur were rushed to the spot. But as both the tenders could not bring the fire under control, fire tenders from Billyground and Mayabunder were also rushed to the Madhupur Creek area. Till the lat report poured in all four fire tenders were dousing the bush fire. “We are trying to cut off the area by removing bushes and trees with the help of excavator and we are sure this trick will work,” said a fireman to Andaman Sheekha Correspondent.

Special Correspondent
Digipur, Feb 23: The Turtle nesting site of Kalipur beach area may face serious threats from the ongoing extension works of Indian Navy’s Shibpur Airport, many believe.

According to reports, as per the earlier plan the Indian Navy had plans to extend the Shibpur Airport runway in the direction of South, towards the sea and north, towards the jungle but for reasons unknown the runway extension works have also started width wise. The Shibpur Airport is situated very close to the Kalipur beach, which is a world famous turtle nesting site.

The initial extension plans, posed zero risk for the turtle nesting as the tailwardly extension of the airport was towards a rocky area, where hardly any turtle goes for nesting. Moreover the area was more or less 800 mtrs away from actual turtle nesting area.

“But it is believed that the extension of work width wise will clearly mean that the boundary of the airstrip will reach upto the turtle nesting site, hence it is bound to cause problems for turtle nesting,” a prominent villager of Digpur told Andaman Sheekha who do not want his name to be quoted.

According to information available here the width wise extension work was started following some requirements, which was created locally.

“Generally it is believed that extra light and sound causes problems for turtle nesting and sound from the airport after extension may cause disturbance to turtles,” Mr. C M Mallick the DFO (Wildlife) of Mayabunder region told Andaman Sheekha today.

When asked whether the Forest Department will raise objections over the extension of Shibpur airport to preserve the turtle nesting site, the DFO said that though turtle nesting in Kalipur beach is his subject but territorial jurisdiction of the area is with DFO Diglipur. “Hence it will be inappropriate for me to reply to this question,” he added.

But the district Administration feels that the extension work won’t affect Turtle nesting in the area.

“Yes, the Airstrip is being extended and lands are being acquired for this purpose but I doubt that this extension will cause any kind of disturbance to turtle nesting,” Sanjay Kumar, the Assistant Commissioner of Diglipur told Andaman Sheekha over phone.

Located half -an-hour ahead of Diglipur, the marvellous Kalipur beach, is an ideal Turtle Nesting Ground and it is believed that this is the only beach in the world, where four species of Sea Turtles, Olive Ridley, Leather Back, Hawks Bill and Green Turtles call their home.

Sadly, before starting the work, no detailed research has been carried out yet to find out impact of the Shibpur Airport extension work on turtle nesting.

From security point of view the airport is very important for India and extension of the airstrip will be a blessing for our Defence Forces and also civil Administration but for this risking a world famous turtle nesting site won’t be a wise move.

Some local residents of the area also raising questions over the extension works of Shibpur Airport, but they may have their own business and vested interest behind this and to clear all doubts for once and for all, the Defence Forces and the Administration must conduct a detailed study on the impact of such extension works, which will reach very close to the turtle nesting site of Kalipur.

Mayabunder, Feb 19: The Mahatma Gandhi Govt. College, Mayabunder will prepare a panel of resource persons to utilize their services as guest faculty in the subjects viz. B.Sc.(Geography) and foundation courses viz. Bengali and Telugu. Candidates possessing Masters Degree in relevant subjects with good academic background and having cleared National Eligibility Test (NET) for Lectureship conducted by UGC will be preferred. The desirous candidates may walk in for interview with their original certificates in the chamber of the Principal, M.G.Govt.College, Mayabunder at 11 am on Feb 21, 2012, a communication from its Principal said.