Audit detects discrepancies in accounts of Tourism Department’s cash section
Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Mar 04: The central audit has reportedly detected discrepancies in the accounts of Tourism Department’s cash section, which amounts nearly Rs. 50 lakhs.
When Andaman Sheekha contracted the Director of Tourism Department, Mr. P Vishwa Kannan, he said that the matter has already been referred to vigilance.
“We have referred the case to vigilance and Anti Corruption Department. As per the procedure very soon the Anti Corruption will be registering an FIR in this regard,” he said.
According to details available here the discrepancies were found in accounts of the years 2009 to 2013.
“I think there was some lacuna from the part of checking the accounts,” the Director added.
Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the audit team has now gone to Neil and Havelock Island units of Tourism Department, after which the team will go to North and Middle Andaman to check the accounts of Tourism Department’s North and Middle Andaman assets.

Port Blair, Mar 19: Andaman Nicobar Police Jawans of Traffic unit as well as Home Guard Jawans can be seen doing painting works at traffic points, speed breakers on every Saturdays and Sundays , which is of course, not a part of their job.

According to reports the jawans of Home Guard and Traffic unit had painted number of traffic points in the city like Mohanpura, Bangla School, Bengali Club, Dairyfarm etc. and the painting work are still in progress at various other traffic points for the convenience of the people.

Talking to Andaman Sheekha, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Mr Umar said that actually painting of traffic points is the job of Andaman Public Works Department but APWD has intimated the Traffic unit that they don’t have enough fund to carry out the work in the year end. “Considering safety of public and their convenience now we have decided to carry out the work ourselves,” DySP Umar added.

Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Mar 18: The archipelago, which had no signs of the Beggar menace some years back, is currently witnessing a steady rise in the population of beggars. While tourists’ footfalls have increased substantially, growing numbers particularly underage children are joining the awful profession of beggary in various parts of the city. Whether human trafficking or voluntary is behind the sudden increase of beggars’ population, slack administrative action in curbing the menace has upset residents.
“The rise in number of beggars in the city is unhealthy development and the authorities should initiate action against them. A numbers of beggars can be seen stalking after people asking for money in every locality. Some others come with picture of God and ask money. Moreover, watching children engaged in beggary has upset the islanders. While efforts are being made by the administration to check child labour, there has been no initiative to prevent children from the menace of beggary,” said some residents of Aberdeen Bazar.
The SBI main branch and bus stand has become a happy begging ground for these beggars, most of whom are not Islanders.
Andaman Sheekha has photographs of one such girl child who is engaged in begging. This little girl takes his blind father all the places and begs for money on behalf of her father and in between she also brings out some time to play. “It is very painful sight. Such a little girl who should have been in school is begging on Andaman road on behalf of her blind father. On one had government has launched Beti Padao Beti Bachao Scheme and on the other hand we see girl child begging on roads,” said another resident of Aberdeen Bazaar.
The administration should take immediate steps to control the menace. Beggars from these islands should be rehabilitated and efforts should be made to provide them some kind of training so that they can earn their livelihood. For those landing here from mainland, the administration should launch a drive and send them back to their native places, as it was done in late 1990s.

Manas Biswas
Neil Island, Mar 16: A 78-year-old lady visiting from Tollygunge, West Bengal died today after suffering an apparent heart attack at Neil Island.
According to reports the lady tourist, Mrs. Niharkana Chakroborty had come to Andaman in a group of five people. She had reached Neil Island this morning and was supposed to return back to Port Blair with family tomorrow.
As per report she was not feeling well since this morning following which she was taken to the PHC Neil Island, where she suffered the heart attack.

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Mar 13: A fire was reported from Brichgunj Junction early this morning from a vacant land, opposite to the Church and School.
According to details a used-tyre dealer, Mr. P Surenderan, had dumped hundreds of tyres in that vacant land for exporting the same to Mainland India.
As per details for reasons, yet not clear, another person namely James, under heavy influence of liquor set those tyres in fire at around 3.00 am.
The Fire Brigade was informed about the fire at round 3. 25 am and it took nearly two hours for the Fire Brigade team to bring the fire under total control. Two Fire Tenders and Two Bowzers reached at the spot to control the fire and Firemen used foam to bring it under control.
Although it took two long hours to cool down all tyres with foam but firemen succeeded in controlling, further spread of fire and further loss of property. The business suffered loss of nearly Rs. 4,20,000.
A team of Pahargaon Police also reached the spot on intimation of public and Fire Service and soon the accused James was detained by the police and taken to the Phargaon Police Station. Police is carrying out further investigation.

Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Mar 04: A massive tree with heavy branches today fell on a residential house at Nayapuram village of Wimberlygunj, badly damaging one bedroom and roof canopy of the house. Luckily no one was injured in the accident.
According to villagers a government contractor was cutting tree in the area, without even trimming the heavy branches as per specified norms, and because of total negligence and lack of precaution the tree fell on the house of P Bapu, S/o Late Kunjamu.
“A third-Party was executing the work and hence margin of profit would have become a major concern for the third-party Contractor. Sadly General public paying the price of ill practices in the APWD,” said a villager of the area.
Villagers demand that the district Administration & EE, RCD should guarantee safety of the life & property of the general public before resuming the said work further.
“It won’t take long for the old & dead trees to collapse upon shops, houses or people. The matter is very sensitive. Neither APWD nor District Administration is taking the matter seriously. People living under panic,” said another villager of the area.
There is of course an urgent need to cut dead and old trees but with precaution. There are more than a dozen dead trees on the roadside at Nayapuram village alone which shake & tremble even on plying of vehicular traffic on the roads.
“It is common sense that a tree should be felled only after pruning the heavy branches first. But the Contractor has openly violated the basic tenets of felling a tree,” said a resident of the area.
Today’s accident could have killed many. Movement of people & vehicles were hindered for long because of the incident.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Mar 03:  Over 100 residents of Brookshabad, Birchgunj area held a protest today against the operation of stone crushers in the area. The demonstrators, including women, children demanded the District Administration to stop the stone crushers and Bitumen plant as they create noise and air pollution.

Villagers allege that around 128 houses with 800 population stays in these villages and two mini stone crushers, one big stone plant and a Bitumen plant is operating in the village 24 hours a day due to which the entire village remain covered with dusts, which according to villagers, is resulting in diseases like asthma, skin infection etc. The crusher units also create noise pollution.

“Our pet animals are dying day to day due to the non availability of grass, trees are burning out due to the crusher, Bitumen operation, Black top road is completely damaged due to the movement of heavy trucks with heavy loads of stones, it is getting difficult for our children to go to the school during rainy season,” Mr Rajesh Ram a resident of the village said.

Even after our repeated complaints, the district administration has not taken any action against the crusher and Bitumen operators, which has forced us to protest against the administration. The protesters said.

Mr Vinod Kumar a resident of the village alleged that nearly 15-20 crushers are operating in the overall Birchgunj area and some of the crushers do not even have commercial license, NOC of pollution control committee. He also said that last month on 9/01/2015 the villagers have given a complaint letter to the Deputy Commissioner but till date no action has been initiated.

“We will continue our protest till the administration stops the operation of these crushers and Bitumen plant,” protesters said.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Mar 02: Large number of people residing at Lal Bijan area
today protested against the Administration for removing a statue of Lord Hanuman, installed near a branch road at Lal Bijan, Dairy Farm.
According to reports, on complaint of setting up of a Hanuman statue along the roadside a team of PBMC and staffs from District Commissioner office and Police reached the spot and removed the Hanuman statue from the aforesaid place.
Fearing violence, it is also learnt that police team applied some force to keep protesters away.
The agitating people said the removal would hit the sentiments of the people living in the village.
“From the year 1985 we are offering prayers to Lord Hanuman at the same place. Long back at the same place there was a mango tree and below that there was a Hanuman Statue, where we used to offer prayers there but due to the construction of retaining wall and road the administration had cut the tree and only after completion of road and retaining wall we have installed the statue in the same place for offering prayers,” an agitator said.
“Our motive is to offer prayers and not to construct a temple. We all residents have no problem in that and we all are ready to give NOC,” said another resident of the area.
Finally, after removal of the statue of Lord Hanuman, the residents of the area again kept a photo frame of the Lord Hanuman at the same place.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Feb 26: Staffs of establishment section of Education Department today escaped a major accident narrowly when a Cement Boulder fell right on the desk of a clerk, who was in leave.
The Cement Boulder, bigger than the size of a football fell from roof top and after making a hole in the ceiling it fell on the clerk’s table. The Cement Boulder later fell on the floor after damaging the table slightly.
According to reports since a few days some repair works are being carried out by APWD, through private contractor on the roof top but before carrying out the repair works the department neither felt it necessary to shift the establishment section of Education Department nor to intimate the staffs. Ignoring safety of staffs the works were carried out during working hours. Many believe that today’s accident could have killed one or two people.
A peon had left the table just a few minutes before the accident therefore he escaped a major accident narrowly.
According to sources other staffs present inside the room were terrified and a few were shivering out of fear.
The accident occurred this afternoon and when Andaman Sheekha team visited the Education Department there was no one to give an official comment.