Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, July 08: Like every year, this year also the Ratha Yatra is being celebrated in Diglipur. The main function of Shree Gundicha Yatra started with Mahapuja of Lord Jagannath in Radha Govinda Mandir here yesterday.
As per age-old tradition, the women devotees of Lord Jagannath, adorned in puja sarees and in nude feet, walked from Shree Shree Dakshina Kaali Mandir to Shree Shree Radha Govinda Mandir in the afternoon to invite and take the Lord to His aunt. On this day, Lord Jagannath and his two siblings, Balaram and Subhadra, visit His aunt on the chariot with long sacred ropes on two sides pulled by devotees.
The Ratha Yatra commenced at around 04.30 pm. The procession set out from Radha Govinda Mandir and culminated at Shree Shree Dakshina Kaali Mandir at about 07:30 pm after traversing several localities and temples like Sri Murugan Temple, Sri Shani Temple, Sri Shiva Temple, Sri Mariyamma Temple. The devotees proudly pulled the chariots forward, upholding a centuries-old tradition. The same ritual will also be followed at the time of return of Ratha Yatra (Bahuda) on the Ninth day starting from Sunday i.e. July 7th 2024.
The Lord Jagannath’s chariot colourfully decorated and the devotees pulling the Ratha with deep devotion presented a spectacular show which portrayed the rich culture prevailing in our Islands especially in Diglipur.
This year in particular, the Rath Yatra witnessed an unprecedented crowd of devotees who were seen dancing and chanting kirtanas in tune and rhythm with the music of trumpets etc.
Rath Yatra is being organized jointly by Radha Govinda Mandir Committee and Shree Shree Dakshina Kaali Mandir Committee, Diglipur. During this nine-day festival, puja-archana and naam-sangkirtanas will be held daily in the morning and evening and there will be distribution of prasad and mahabhog for the devotees every day in the noon, Shri Goutam Biswas, President & Shri Bapi Saha Secretary of Shree Shree Dakshina Kaali Mandir Committee, Diglipur, said.

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, July 03: Commuting of the residents of Ward No. 06, Subhashgram village under Diglipur Tehsil was severely disrupted owing to the engulfment of the full width of the road by a nallah in the area a couple of weeks ago when a number of villages of Diglipur were inundated by the last devastating flood.
According to information, the residents of Ward No. 06, Subhashgram have been facing severe commuting woes since the recent flood when the raging nallah completely engulfed the full width of the rural road starting from APWD main road to Ganesh Das house via Basanta Das house. The age-old road is in a neglected state and reportedly there was no repair and maintenance of the road since its construction.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, the residents of the area said, “There is a nallah which eats away our land through erosion every year during the rainy season. And now the nallah has engulfed the road widthways a couple of weeks ago when a number of villages of Diglipur were inundated by the last devastating flood. In fact, due to the impact of this erosion, the flood waters got a passage to enter our land and caused havoc to our property. And it has put us in great difficulties thereby severely disrupting our lives; and most importantly, our school-going children are the worst affected”, they fumed. In fact, the nallah has not only engulfed the road in question but also it has swallowed up a sizable area of our land with standing plantations of areca nut trees, claimed Mr. Jagadish Das of the area.
The residents further said that erosion by river/nalla is a natural phenomenon and what is required is to arrest the erosion process by erecting retaining walls along the land/nallah side so that their land can be protected from this erosion. And they informed all the three PRIs about the rundown condition of this road and the elected members reportedly paid their visits to the spot and gave their empty assurances that the work would be taken up on priority basis, but they did nothing to alleviate their commuting woes, they further alleged. The villagers approached the officials of the APWD, CD, Diglipur and even the previous Member of Parliament and apprised them all of the tumble-down condition of the road, but they paid only lip service to the issue, no initiative was taken from any of the institutions so far and they have been facing the wrath of this situation for the last many years, they lamented.
On the other hand, the entire stretch of the road is in ramshackle state, and it literally doesn’t exist, it is filled with innumerable pot-holes and only some quantum of gravels can be seen on the road thereby rendering it to a complete unworthy for vehicular movement, the locals added. Initially the people of the area were told that a sixty (60) meter long “Retaining Wall” would be constructed at the site to arrest the erosion thereby protecting the road and their land, but the present scenario presents a different picture; it undeniably needs approx. 70-80 meter long “Retaining Wall” to protect the road and their land in the area, they insisted. In fact, had it been done earlier, the road as well as our land could be protected, but unfortunately the work fell victim to the incompetence and indifferent attitude of the institutions responsible for the work, the residents of the area didn’t hesitate to further allege.
However, the residents said that they shot up a letter to the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration and urged him to redress their problem on priority.

Rabindranath Biswas & Deepak Kumar Singh
Diglipur, June 12: In a ghastly incident, a crocodile reportedly attacked a person and his son, making them seriously injured in Diglipur yesterday.
According to information, one Mr. Amar Das, 57 and his son Mr. Manik Das, 23 went to the sea shore at Ambar Char, specifically called Tatkhali Char, a remote area in Diglipur Tehsil to catch fish with net in a dinghy at about 03:30 p.m. yesterday. The father Mr. Amar Das was casting the fishing net in the water in the knee-deep shoreline while the son Manik Das was standing close to his father on the shore.
Meanwhile a huge salt-water crocodile came from behind and reportedly attacked Amar Das across his waist and after taking Amar Das in its jaws, the crocodile gave a death roll and as an impact, Amar Das’ buttocks and thighs were torn and chest ripped; and seeing it happening, Manik Das threw himself in the water and after positioning himself close to the attacking crocodile, he reached out his hand to run his finger into the eyes of the crocodile, Manik Das narrated.
He also succeeded in running his finger into the eyes of the crocodile, while the crocodile, after getting pain in its eyes, loosened the grip of the croc’s crash-jibe and released the father and turning to Manik Das, the croc made a furious attack on the son thereby critically injuring Manik Das on his hand and legs. However, Manik Das desperately got his father released from the clutch of the crocodile’s crash jibe and himself from the terrible attack of the crocodile.
Manik Das cried out in despair for help, while an elderly person who was going past the seashore came to their rescue. Since Amar Das was profusely bleeding and almost lost sense and Manik being seriously injured somehow managed to drag his critically injured father to the shore with help of the passersby, Manik Das said. He further said that, since it was heavily raining, the water in the shoreline turned turbid, and as a result of which they couldn’t detect the presence of the crocodile even in the shallow water. In the meantime, their family members rushed to the spot after listening to the shriek of Manik Das.
The family members of Amar Das and neighbours then took the seriously injured father and son in a motorized dinghy in the tempestuous seas to Aerial Bay and they reached Aerial Bay at around 08:00 pm and after calling an ambulance they were immediately rushed to the CHC, Diglipur. The doctors attended the patients in emergency and carried out required treatment, their cuts and torn parts were stitched. Since Mr. Amar Das’ condition was critical, he was referred to GB Pant Hospital and was airlifted in the morning today while Manik Das is out of danger now and his treatment is going in CHC, Diglipur, croc victim Manik Das said.

Rabindranath Biswas
Diglipur, June 03: As the bad condition of NH4 still continues to plague the people of entire N & M Andaman, the culverts, on the other hand, on the NH4 from Diglipur Bazaar to Aerial Bay have become the constant woes for the commuters.
As per report, there are scores of culverts across the deplorable NH4 from Diglipur Bazaar to Aerial Bay which were constructed by the concerned agency and were reportedly left in incomplete shapes. The culverts’ slab-ends where the road seal-coat ends meet are marred with crater-sized potholes and uneven surfaces and the motorists, auto-rickshaw drivers and two-wheeler riders of this route step out with trepidation in their hearts.
Similarly, it was found that the meeting ends of the culverts and the seal-coat ends of the road were bumpy. “We are welcomed with deep potholes, broken patches, and a bumpy ride as we enter the stretch of road from Diglipur Bazaar to Aerial Bay” remarked users of the road.
Even the repair works undertaken by the concerned agency of the NHIDCL, after several complaints, are shoddy, corroding within a day,” alleged the residents of the areas. Despite several initiatives from the authorities to fix the issue, the woes of the NH culverts continue to rise.

Mayabunder, March 14: Concerns have been raised by residents of Mayabunder regarding sudden changes in the helicopter service schedule, which may affect their travel plans to and from Port Blair.
Mr. Abdul Siddique, former Pramukh of Mayabunder, has submitted a formal request to the Deputy Commissioner of N & M Andaman, urging immediate action to ensure the helicopter service operates via Mayabunder as per the regular schedule.
In his letter addressed to the Dy. Commissioner, Mr. Siddique highlighted the inconvenience faced by residents who had applied for tomorrow’s (15 March) helicopter service from Mayabunder to Port Blair.
According to Mr. Siddique, two individuals who had sought tickets for tomorrow’s service were informed by Pawan Hans staff that the helicopter would bypass Mayabunder and head directly to Diglipur before returning to Port Blair. This sudden change has left passengers worried, especially those with urgent commitments in Port Blair.
Expressing dismay over the perceived unfair treatment towards Mayabunder residents in matters of helicopter services, Mr. Siddique emphasized the need for immediate intervention to divert tomorrow’s helicopter service via Mayabunder. He urged the Dy. Commissioner to issue appropriate directives to ensure passengers’ travel plans are not disrupted and that such sudden changes in schedules are avoided in the future.
Mr. Siddique also stressed the importance of providing advance notice to passengers in case of any alterations to the service schedule, allowing them to make alternative travel arrangements if needed.
Mr. Siddique concluded his letter with a plea for prompt consideration of his request and swift action to address the concerns of Mayabunder residents. He expressed hope for an immediate and favorable response from the authorities to ensure uninterrupted helicopter service for the community.