Ganesh Sarkar
Port Blair, Jan 14: Once famous among children and joggers of Hut Bay, the abysmal condition of a Public Park is proof of lack of interest of Panchayat authorities in ensuring proper maintenance of public facilities. Chidambaram Park at Hut Bay 2 km, near Coast Guard Station after its inauguration in 2008 used to be thronged by visitors on a daily basis.
But for utter neglect in the subsequent months, the Park currently bears a deserted look with almost all play equipments turned rusty and the area becoming home to wild bushes and creature.
According to reports, the Chidambaram Park was inaugurated by the then Pradhan of Hut Bay Panchayat, Mr C Palaniswamy on 31st Oct 2008.
Children thronged the Park after its inauguration. Swings and other play equipments in the Park remained the major amusement source for children of the region for initial few months.
Joggers used the Park for improvement of physical health, while the elderly residents relaxed at the location away from the hustle and bustle of normal life. But for the lethargy of the Panchayat authority, today no one dares to venture close to the Park. Even a Canteen constructed in the premises of the Park presently stands in ruins with anti-social elements using the deserted space for boozing or gambling.
“The Hut Bay Panchayat carried out routine maintenance of the Chidambaram Park for the initial few months after its inauguration. A number of play equipments were installed at the Park for the benefit of children. But for reasons better known to the Panchayat, the Park has been lacking maintenance for years. Almost all equipments have rusted and the park has become home to the wild bushes and animals. Even venomous snakes have been spotted in the Park premises on a number of occasions,” say some Hut Bay residents.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha, the Pradhan, Hut Bay Panchayat, Smt Geeta Rao said that efforts are on to restore the Chidambaram Park.
“The Panchayat has been facing shortage of funds due to which the renovation work could not be initiated. However, the matter is being thoroughly pursued with the concerned authorities in the administration and people of Little Andaman can expect early restoration of the Park,” she said.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Jan 13: While the Municipal Council suffers from acute fund deficit to execute developmental projects, traders in the city and South Andaman region have devised a mechanism to dodge the agency from paying octroi tax.
Large amount of cargo particularly hardware and electronic items imported from mainland for trading in the local markets are reportedly unloaded at Mayabunder, tax free zone, and later transported to Port Blair by road.
The arrangement has been reaping huge profits for some traders, but divested the Municipal Council of funds generated by Octoi tax, one of the crucial revenue generation modes.
As per the modus operandi, many traders import products like steel rods and other construction materials from Kolkata and book tonnes of cargo on ships bound for Port Blair via Mayabunder.
On arrival at Mayabunder Jetty, the businessmen unload the consignment and book goods vehicles to transport the consignment to Port Blair by road to escape octroi tax on the imports.
In the absence of any Toll Naka and Tax Collectors at the entry points to the city, the traders easily transport the products to vend them in wholesale and retail markets. In the process, the Municipal Council is stripped of huge funds collected through Octroi tax from traders for importing products from mainland.
According to reports, the regular sailings of vessels from Kolkata to Port Blair via Mayabunder as per the schedule prepared by the Directorate of Shipping Services is promoting the unlawful import of products without paying taxes.
“We face a lot of pressure from a few high profile businessmen and politicians for deploying mainland bound ships via Mayabunder. We’re helpless and are forced to prepare such schedules,” said an official of the Shipping Department requesting anonymity.
Sometimes this excess Cargo is 30 Tonnes, sometimes it is 100 Tonnes, which can’t be for the local need of North and Middle Andaman, he added.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha, the Chairperson, Municipal Council, Smt Sheela Singh said that a lot of complaints have already been received regarding such activities by businessmen. The issue will be placed before the Council meeting to implement some measures to prevent activities that cause losses to PBMC, she added.

Sarthak Kanjilal

Port Blair, Jan 12: The Fruit Vendors of Port Blair city’s fruit market area, have expressed their anger over the lack of concern shown by Port Blair Municipal Council towards providing them a permanent shed, as per High Court’s order.

Raising voice against the Port Blair Municipal Council the Fruit vendors allege that many years ago the High Court at Port Blair had directed the PBMC to construct permanent shed for the 32 fruit sellers of Port Blair area but even after so many years the PBMC has not initiated any steps in this regard.

“A few years back the sheds of the fruit vendors were removed in name of construction of drain and later a temporary shed has been constructed for us. Since then our repeated requests for a permanent shed are falling in deaf ears,” said a fruit vendor of Port Blair city.    nside Gandhi Market, where we will not be given shop. We have been told that they will move us to new place but we don’t know where we will be moved,” said another fruit vendor.

Allotment process for shops and sheds by PBMC always remain marred with controversy and allegation of corruption.

A shopping complex with nearly 15 shops at Dairy Farm and nearly 14 shops of Food Park near Netaji Stadium are still waiting for final allotment, causing huge loss to PBMC for this delay.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, January 11: The vessel MV Nancowry, which was about to sail for Port Blair today at around 04:00 pm from Chennai was cancelled due to some problem in the generator of the ship, it is learnt.
But this last moment cancellation left a large number of passengers in soup. As per sources, many passengers have also protested at the entrance gate of the Chennai Port.
As per sources, three days back one of the generators of the ship busted and the repair works for the same was on but even though sources informed that the ship was made ready to sail for Port Blair.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha over phone, one of the passengers said that he had already left the lodge and he is not having enough money to stay in Chennai for few more days. He said that now it has become very difficult for him to stay in Chennai till a new schedule is announced.
Another passenger said that he has come all the way from Madurai to avail this sailing. “If the authorities would have informed me earlier I would have stayed back at Madurai, now don’t know where will I go,” said the passenger over phone.
Andaman Sheekha also learnt that a few passengers who were provided the lodging and boarding facilities by the administration due to the cancellation of the Chartered Flight recently, had also bought the ship ticket of MV Nancowry but cancellation of this sailing caused another problem to them.
As per sources, the passengers have been told that the ship will be fit for sailing only after three days.
The Shipping Department must make sure that in case of doubt proper announcement/ publicity should be done so that passengers can make alternative arrangements. The Department should also sent officers at the port to manage the situations like this and arrange boarding facilities for stranded passengers, in case of last moment cancellation of ship. The Shipping services must develop some kind of SMS alert system for all ship passengers so that any kind of issues regarding fitness of the ship can be intimated to passengers on time.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Jan 08: In a major respite for the residents of Havelock and Campbell Bay, a long pending demand for Petrol Pump facility in the islands is all set to be realized in the first quarter of the next financial year.
Sharing the development, the General Manager, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation, Mr Dharmendra Kumar said that the civil works for the Petrol Pump at Havelock has been completed, while the works relating to storage capacity and installation of dispending Units will be awarded to Indian Oil Corporation soon.
“A petrol pump in the Havelock island will decrease the cost of Petrol which will indirectly benefit tourists in the island, Mr Dharmendra added.
On the proposal for setting up at Petrol Pump at Campbell Bay, the ANIIDCO GM said that due to some local concerns, the ANIIDCO failed to make any progress in the proposal. But efforts have been revived and file proceedings for creation of storage capacity and installation of dispending units for the Petrol Pump at Campbell Bay through Indian Oil Corporation in under progress. The Campbell Bay project may take some more time to complete as official procedures have been initiated only in the first quarter of the current financial year, added Mr Dharmendra Kumar.

Amit Halder & Sarthak Kanjilal

Port Blair, January 07: It was a great shock for the villagers of Manpur, Bengali Basti today when they spotted a Crocodile inside a large village pond.

As per the villagers, they saw the Crocodile inside the pond in the morning after which they cautioned all other villagers not enter inside the pond and keep an eye on the movement of the crocodile inside the pond.

It is believed that the Crocodile somehow reached the pond from a nearby nallah, which is infested by crocodiles, since ages.

A team of Forest under the overall supervision of Divisional Forest Officer, Wandoor Range on information reached the spot in the evening and caught the Crocodile.

It is learnt that the Crocodile was further taken to the Wandoor Wildlife Sanctuary.

K Muralidhran Pillai
Port Blair, Jan 06: The battered road stretch leading to Karmatang beach, a prominent tourist site in North Andaman, stands proof of how remote pockets of these islands are kept out of the developmental plans of the administration.
The tattered road stretch and plight of people negotiating the surface appeared in the local media particularly Andaman Sheekha in more than a couple of occasions. But the concerned authorities have failed to repair the road for the benefit of hundreds of tourists and locals of the area.
According to reports, the concerned authorities carried out some patch works ahead of the visit of the Chief Secretary of the Administration to the North and Middle Andaman region.
But the patch-ups, loose earth filled on the craters, apparently to impress the Chief Secretary, washed away in the very next rain showers leaving locals in a tight spot. “It seems that the local authorities care two hoots of the instructions of the Chief Secretary, who promised development of the area during his visit.
Authorities like the ZIlla Parishad, NACD Mayabunder, PRIs, show huge amounts expended on maintenance of roads every year, but a drive on the pothole laden road surface at Karmatang will reveal complete apathy of the authorities towards progress of the area. Driving on the road surface at Karmatang requires superhuman skills.
Authorities concerned are least bothered about fixing many gaping craters that dot the surface to make it safe for motorists. On the New Year eve, many locals, who wished to celebrate the occasion, at the beach had to return back home for fear of accidents and damage to vehicles at the road stretch,” said some Mayabunder residents.
“Besides the pathetic condition of the road, cleanliness at the Karmatang beach has taken a beating in the recent months. The beach is littered with empty bottles and non-biodegradable wastes.
Though the Forest Department has placed Dustbins at the beach, lack of regular garbage disposal forces visitors to discard wastes in open areas. Moreover, a Watchman, atleast on daily rated basis, should be posted at the beach for ensuing proper watch of the tourist destination,” say some others.

Special Report
Port Blair, Jan 05: Martyr Lieutenant Colonel Elambulassery Kalarikkal Niranjan, who died in the terrorist attack at IAF base at Pathankot on Sunday, was laid to rest at his ancestral house in Kerala on Tuesday. Niranjan, a member of the NSG’s bomb detection squad, died while defusing an explosive from a terrorist’s body on Sunday.
When the entire nation is mourning death of NSG martyr Lt Col Niranjan Kumar, people in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who had got a chance to work with him, are deeply shocked.
Lt. Col. Kumar, a bomb disposal expert had come to Andaman in June first week of 2015 with three other colleagues after the Brookshabad Blast incident, in which two people had died.
According to details Lt. Col. Kumar and his team had played a major role in post blast investigation of Brookshabad. He had collected samples from the blast site and had helped police to reach to a logical conclusion.
To confirm the fact when Andaman Sheekha team contacted Mr. B Saigal, the SDPO of Havelock, who was holding additional charge of Dy.S.P South Andaman, he confirmed that Lt Col Niranjan Kumar is the same officer, who came to Andaman on the request of Police Department for post blast investigation.
“Police personnel who saw him and worked with him are deeply shocked to see his photographs in National News. His mobile phone is constantly switched off. My deepest condolences for Martyr Lt Col Niranjan Kumar. This is a great loss to the nation,” Mr. Saigal added.
Other police Jawans and officers, who worked with him for those few days, have shared his photos in Social Media and expressed their condolence.
Andaman Sheekha team extends deepest condolences on the death of Lt Col Niranjan Kumar and other jawans of defence forces, in terrorist attack at IAF base at Pathankot.

DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, Jan 04: Taking a serious stand against encroachment the Lt. Governor had recently said that fresh encroachment will not be tolerated but in Diglipur the story seems to be totally different.
The public at Diglipur never heard of any encroachment eviction drive by the Diglipur authorities in the recent years or any advisory or phone number issued to pass any information on land grabbling.
All they heard is removing tea stalls from the main road in case any VIP movement in the name of eviction drive.
The encroachers have become so fearless that they not only encroaching APWD land but also letting out the same to others.
It is alleged that a large area of Navin Nagar is encroached by land grabbers. Encroachers in the area include high profile leaders of various political parties, including sitting and ex PRIs. They not only encroach Government land but they are also motivating and promoting the public to encroach.
Around 350-400 APWD quarters in Subhash gram and Diglipur Panchayat which are dilapidated conditions are encroached by the occupant during their service as well as after their retirement.
In the past PWD authorities never took any action against these encroachers and at present also they are keeping their eyes closed. Inaction by APWD has promoted the people to convert government quarters as their personnel property.
On the other hand Revenue authorities also seem to be taking tight nap on the excuse of shortage of Revenue staffs. Fresh encroachment and constructions are in progress near Revenue officials’ residence, which are not visible to the officials.
While retirement the occupant has to take clearance from APWD and Electricity closing of water and electricity connections for their departmental benefits but how can they are continuing with these services are better known to the authorities.
Taking experience from past the APWD should start fencing the existing quarters alongwith attached government land since the public has now started encroaching the government land adjacent quarters. Taking no legal action at the initial stage of encroachment against these encroachers may lead to legal issued in coming days and this will also be an encouragement for the encroachers.
It has been learnt that a large number of encroachers are now seeking help of top politicians to get their encroach land regularized, making it clear that regularization of encroached land will be prominent election issue.