Port Blair, Feb 23: Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) will be visiting Air Force Station Carnic from 23 to 27 Feb 12. He was Chief of Air Staff when the IAF saw action in its first combat of the modern age in 1965. Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his outstanding leadership of Indian Air Force and subsequently in recognition of the Air Force’s contribution in the war. In recognition of his services, the Government of India conferred the rank of the Marshal of the Indian Air Force onto Arjan Singh on 26 January 2002 making him the first and only ‘Five Star’ rank officer with the Indian Air Force.

During his visit the Marshal will unveil the IAF crest and lay wreath at Tsunami Memorial. He will interact with the local Administration officers, Village Chiefs and also the Air warriors posted at Car Nicobar. During his stay he will also visit Naval Air Station Campbell Bay and Indira Point. The Marshall will depart Carnicobar on 27 Feb 12.

Kamorta, Feb 15: The Emergency Operation Centre constructed under Disaster Management at Kamorta has been operationalized from Feb 14. The Emergency Operation Centre shall be the Nodal Point for coordination various disaster management activities and also for collecting and disseminating various information at normal times.

The Emergency Operation Centre will be function round the clock. Any information regarding natural and man-made disaster may kindly be informed to Emergency Operation Centre, Kamorta over telephone number – 263222 and 263212 (fax) or email: astcomnan@gmail.com for immediate response to avert any untoward incident.

Port Blair, Feb 08: The KVK, Nicobar has organized three days training programme on “Round the year pineapple production technology” from 16th to 18th January, 2012 at Community Hall, Village Small Lapathi, Car Nicobar. The training programme was inaugurated by Chief Guest, Sri Chamberlin Paul, Vice Chief Captain, Tribal Council, Car Nicobar and Guest of Honour Smt. Ireena, 1st Headman, Small Lapathi Village. The Chief Guest appreciated the efforts of KVK, Nicobar for imparting skills and knowledge to the tribal people for livelihood improvement.

At the onset, Dr. Viveka Nand Singh, SMS (Horticulture) & Course Coordinator welcomed the august gathering and stressed that if pineapple is grown in existing coconut plantation under multi-tier cropping system throughout the year in a scientific manner then it may play a vital role as supplementary option of livelihood for rural youth of Nicobar. Dr. Zachariah George, SMS (Animal Science) & Course facilitator explained the role of KVK, Nicobar in the holistic development of Nicobari Tribe through technological intervention in agricultural and allied sector.

A total of 20 rural youths, consisting of 9 male and 11 female were benefitted in different aspect of pineapple production technology throughout the year. During training, several aspects of pineapple cultivation viz. importance and uses, improved varieties, propagation & planting method, tips for round the year production and improvement of fruit quality, nutrient management through organic resources, inter cropping, water management, weed management, pineapple in multi tire cropping system, diseases and insect management, harvesting, storage, marketing, value addition and economics of pineapple production were dealt by concerned experts. Sri Kamaljit, Assistant Director, Dept. of Agriculture, Car Nicobar explained about the available schemes in the department and encouraged the rural youths to grow pineapple by utilizing Govt. schemes. The training was successfully concluded on 18thJanuary, 2012.

Port Blair, Feb 08: The KVK, Nicobar organized three days training programme on “Fish Curing Methods” at Community Hall of Mus Village in Car Nicobar from 31st January to 02nd February 2012. Mr. Alfred Moses, 1st Headman, Mus village was preceded the function as the Chief Guest and Mr. Lokith Kumar, In-charge, Zonal Fisheries Office, Car Nicobar was the Guest of honour.
Earlier, Mr. T. Ravikumar, Subject Matter Specialist (Fisheries) welcomed the dignitaries, trainees and given brief introduction on the various aspects of fish curing methods such as fish drying, fish salting, fish smoking, fish pickling. The Chief Guest of the programme has expressed his appreciation to the KVK, Nicobar on this occasion and requested his villagers to get maximum benefit from the training programme. He also spoke on the importance of the fish curing methods and insisted the tribal fishers to adopt the various fish preservation methods to get maximum benefit from the same during fishing off season. Mr. Lohith Kumar, In-charge, Zonal Fisheries Office, Car Nicobar has spoke on significance of fish preservation methods and various subsidy schemes of the department. Also he stressed the significance of the fishing license and fishing boat registration.

In the training programme various aspects of fish curing such as fish spoilage and its prevention, present scope and future prospects of cured fish in the island, fish drying and its methods, fish salting and its methods, fish smoking and its methods, packaging of dried fish products, quality control and safety aspects of cured fish products, signs of spoilage in cured fish, different designs used for fish curing, construction of model fish drying unit were dealt in the three days training programme. A total of 20 tribal fishermen were participated in the said training programme. Programme end with the vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Zachariah George, SMS, (Animal Science), KVK-Nicobar, Car Nicobar.

Nancowry, Feb 07: A mock drill on earthquake followed by Tsunami programme was conducted in the Bengali village of Teressa Island under Nancowrie Sub-division as a collaborative effort between the A&N Administration and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). TISS provided the necessary expertise on developing disaster preparedness among the government departments and the community. The highlight of this programme was modifications of the module according to the unique needs of the region through the use of innovative techniques and local knowledge such as a different pattern of ringing the community bell was assigned to aware the community members about the impending disaster.
Formation of a ‘human relay chain’ by the Community Task Force to spread information in a time when there is no network coverage or in a place without network coverage and utilisation of local resources like planks of bamboo and curtains to make stretchers and life jackets in the time of need were also displayed, a communication received here said.

Port Blair, Feb 03: Three days training programme on “Exploration of Profitable Agricultural Enterprises in Great Nicobar” has conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nicobar and Central Agriculture Research Institute (ICAR), Port Blair in collaboration with CCD/LEAD, NGO, Campbell Bay from 22nd to 24th December, 2011 at ATIC Building, CARI, Port Blair. A total of 15 farmers including 13 male and 2 female are participated in the training programme.

Dr. S. K. Ambast, Director, CARI, Port Blair inaugurated the programmes as the chief guest and welcomed the trainees from Campbell Bay and appreciated their enthusiasm. He expressed that existing faming system needs to incorporate the new scientific technological development and entrepreneurship mode among rural youths. He also appreciated the effort of CCD/LEAD for their contribution to these Islands.

In the training programme all the HoDs from different divisions of CARI, Project officer, CCD and Programme Manger, LEAD, India were present and have interacted with the trainees. The training was blended with practical/ field visits and lectures of highly experienced resource persons. Shri. Montu Biswas, J. D., Agriculture, A & N Admin. and Shri. G. A Krishnan, DGM, NABARD were the invitee resource personnel. They have discussed various schemes and modalities for the benefit of farming community. On second day, field visit was organized to give exposure on IFS at farmer’s field and handicraft at Chouldhari. On valedictory function, Dr. Subhash Chand, Course Director of this programme welcomed Chief Guest Dr. D.R. Singh, HoD, Horticulture and Forestry, CARI, Port Blair and all the trainees. Farmers have expressed that this training will be useful to us and requested that in future also CARI should conduct such training at Campbell Bay or at CARI. The CCD/LEAD team appreciated the efforts put on training for the benefit of farmers. At the end Mr. Sanjay Kumar Pandey, I/C Programme Coordinator, KVK, Nicobar proposed the vote of thanks.

Port Blair, Feb 03: The Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, in a letter addressed to the Lt. Governor,A&NIslands, a copy of which has been released to the press, has urged for starting English medium from class VI-XII & Science stream inGovt. Model Sr. Sec.School, Kamorta. He also vouched for Commerce and Computer Education inKamortaIsland. The MP also requested for posting of experienced teachers to improve the result in secondary and senior secondary schools of Kamorta, a communication from MP Office said here.