Staff Correspondent
Mayabunder, Sept 27: Huge resentment is growing among the sitting members of North and Middle Andaman Zilla Parishad over disproportionate distribution of funds for various works under various Zilla Parishad constituencies of the North and Middle Andaman Zilla Parishad.
According to reports while some Zilla Parishad areas have got very limited funds for development works, a few Zilla Parishad areas have got maximum share of funds.
Zilla Parishad members angry over such unjustified fund distribution, are now raising voice and alleging that the present Chairperson of N & M Andaman ZP is neglecting the development activities in other ZP constituencies by not providing enough funds for developmental works.
Sources said that while a few Zilla Parishad members have personally expressed their anger, some other people have filed RTI to know exact amount of funds being diverted in the area of sitting Chairperson of N & M Zilla Parishad.
Sources said that some members are so much unhappy with the fund distribution that in coming elections of ZP Chairperson of N & M Andaman, they might considering forming a group and vote for some sensible member as ZP Chairperson, forgetting about their party.
When contacted the ZP Chairperson of N & M Andaman, Mrs. Kalpana Bain refused to give any details in this regard saying that she can’t talk about official issues with media. However, when asked by Andaman Sheekha that how come matter related to public fund be confidential issue she had no answer.

DJ Venkatesh

Nabagram, Diglipur, Sept 20: A fisherman from remote Diglipur Island, who went missing since 31st July 2018, miraculously survived and reached Myanmar. Sadly even after surviving the deadly sea for so many days, his miseries have not ended. The fisherman, who already suffered a brief detention, is now again facing arrest, as nothing concrete has been done yet for the repatriation of the fisherman ,it is alleged. Poor family members of the fisherman are now requesting the Administration to take up the matter with the concerned Ministry.

As per details, the fisherman, from Nabagram village, Mr. Biswanath Roy had gone for fishing with two dinghies (IND-AN-MN-MO/358 and IND-AN-MN-NM-1006) from Kalighat Jetty on July 31st, 2018, among which the big dinghy was equipped with engine and smaller dinghy, used for fishing in creek areas, had 2 days ration items.

When after 4 days he didn’t return his wife Mrs. Rekha Roy intimated the matter to PS Kalighat and filed a complaint. Meanwhile the remains of the small dinghy found at Imli Tikry by few fishermen after that they intimated the matter to PS Kalighat and FIR was filed on 5th Aug and also the matter was communicated to the Coast Guard, Asst Commissioner at Diglipur.

On 4th September a neighbor of the missing fisherman, Mr. Mohan Sikder received a call from Myanmar number 0959444754117. On the other side Mr. Biswanath Roy was present, who narrated his survival story to his wife and also told how he reached Myanmar.

Missing Mr. Biswanath Roy said that during fishing in sea his small dinghy got damaged after hitting the rocks and big dinghy developed snags, because of which is started drifting towards deep sea.

After drifting for seven days, on 8th day he found 4 Myanmarese, who caught him along with his dinghy and also removed his engine and other machineries and provided food and used him for fishing till 17th day.

Finally the four Myanmarese people and the fisherman reached Myanmar on 18th day.

Before reaching shore, four Myanmarese people, who had already removed engine from Mr. Biswanath Roy’s dinghy asked him to go back to sea without engine.

When he refused they allegedly pushed him into the sea, anyhow he swam about two kilometers and reached the shore.

In Myanmar he was intercepted and detained by Myanmarese police and detained at Kali temple at Myanmar. After talks, two days later the Trustee of Board of Kali Temple filed for his bail and the police let him to stay there in Kali Temple as the fisherman having original documents of Islander card, FIC card, Fisheries license with him.

In the temple, local Bengali people gave him Rs. 2000 rupees, cloths, bed sheets and food.

Meanwhile, the neighbor received several calls from Myanmarese authorities asking the family to contact Indian authority and ask them to contact them or else the fisherman will be put in jail.

The family of Mr. Biswanath Roy has already intimated the matter to the Chief Secretary’s office but till now nothing concrete has happened from the side of Indian authorities it seems as the family got such calls even on 18 September 2018.

The helpless family is now in deep dilemma, they don’t know how to contact top officers of Indian Embassy in Myanmar. The family is only hoping that the Administration will take up this matter as top priority to save Biswanath Roy from getting arrested and also to bring him back safety to Andamans.

Billiground, Sep 16: Today the Green IslandFoundation organised a plantation programme with the cooperation of Police Department and Forest Department of Billiground. General public also activelyparticipated in this programe and planted many saplings.

Green Island Foundation members encouraged general public to preservetrees which plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance.The foundation in its statementsaid that it is the responsibility of every one of us to notonly we should plant trees but also we should take care and protect each tree.

DJ Venkatesh

Diglipur, Sep 11: Here is a good news for people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, after TATA Sky now signals of AIRTEL DTH is available in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Although officially the service has not been launched yet but signals are available in every part of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Sources said that signals in Andaman can be received only with a 6 feet plate/fibre dish at present, which is a major disadvantage.

The picture and audio quality is HD type in SD mode. The main advantage in Airtel DTH is automatic update of the software through satellite which lacks in Tata Sky. Presently Tata Sky subscribers have to send set top box to mainland for software update in every 2 or 3 months.

In Airtel DTH there are presently about 490 channels, which can be chosen by the subscriber as per their choice by paying Rs 99 to Rs. 500 where one month free subscription available on yearly subscription. More over various language options like Tamil Telugu, Bangla, Hindi are also available handy. Airtel DTH service is placed on SES 7 Satellite.s sKu band on 108.2°East. Although officially presently this service is not available hope one day it will be done.

The lone entertainment medium in the A & N Islands the Television is more colorful now as the Airtel Digital TV, an Indian DTH service is now available in A & N Islands.
People are unsatisfied with the local Cable Tv operators, TATA Sky network & NXT. These operators are forced to watch the available channels due to very less freedom of your choice. As per the reports the AIRTEL DTH is now available from Campbell to Diglipur but with a 6 feet plate/fibre dish only.