Saket Lal
Port Blair, Apr 06: The Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Mr. Anand Prakash today urged the students to take up AIPMT coaching seriously and get maximum benefit from it. He also urged the resource persons as well as the students to provide feedback, so as to improve and systematize the programme in the years to come.

Addressing the gathering during inauguration of coaching class for All India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMT) the Chief Secretary said that this is the first initiative of the Administration, especially the Education Department in organizing such coaching class for the benefit of the students of the Islands.

“The Administration plans to open a Medical College with a capacity of 100 students this year, a large chunk of which will be allotted to Islands students. However, seats will also be allotted in the medical colleges of mainland to those students, who desire to pursue their study in the mainland,” he said.

The Chief Secretary, Shri Anand Prakash inaugurated the coaching class as the chief guest by lighting a ritual oil lamp at a function held at the School premises here this morning. The coaching class is being organized by the Department of Education.

In his welcome address, the Secretary (Edn.), Shri Devinder Singh informed that this is the first time the Education Department had arranged AIPMT coaching class for the Islands’ students desiring to seek admission in MBBS. A JEE coaching class in engineering has also being organized for the desiring students, he said and adding that the month long coaching class will immensely benefit the Islands’ students.
About 500 students have registered their names for the coaching class, which will continue for one month. The inaugural function concluded with the vote of thanks, proposed by Dr. R Dev Das, Director SIE.

Port Blair, Mar 30: Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, AVSM, Director General Indian Coast Guard was presented with 50 Men Guard of Honour in an impressive ceremonial parade by the Coast Guard Region (A&N) at Port Blair on 30 Mar 15. Asst Comdt Sadhana Singh, commanded the Ceremonial Guard. The Admiral complemented CG personnel for immaculate turn out and smart drill on parade. Later in a day the DGICG called on Vice Admiral PK Chatterjee PVSM, AVSM, NM, Commander-in-Chief Andaman Nicobar Command and appraised CINCAN on the future expansion plans of the Coast Guard in the Island territory.

The DGICG visited Coast Guard District Headquarters No.9 at Diglipur and reviewed the progress. The Admiral inaugurated the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) at Diglipur for co-ordination of maritime Search and Rescue operation in the North and Middle Andaman Islands.

Search and Rescue at sea is the CG Mandate and the service has done admirably towards safety of mariners and islanders in the A&N Islands. The COMCG (A&N) briefed DGICG regarding the thrust accorded for timely creation of infrastructure for the outlaying station at Mayabunder.

The DGICG laid foundation stone for construction of office complex and accommodation for the men at Mayabunder, which is essential for the effective functioning of the ICG Station, said PRO CG.

Sheekha Bureau
The President of A & N State BJP has stressed on the need of strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institute and setting up of an independent Shipping Corporation for Andaman Nicobar Islands.
A series of similar demands concerning the development of these islands were put forth by the State President BJP, Mr. Vishal Jolly through a power point presentation titled “ changing the face of Andamans” during an exclusive meeting of Union Territories held at New Delhi with BJP leadership.
The meeting was attended, among others, by the National President BJP, Shri Amit Shah, the Minister of State for Home, Shri Kiren Rijiju, senior officials from PMO.
Informing this during a press conference at BJP Bhawan today, Shri Jolly said that his first and foremost demand with the BJP leadership was the need based democratic set up for A&N islands by introducing either erstwhile Pradesh Council or Legislative Assembly.
However, he suggested for a governing body like Pradesh Council, which according to him, will work as a platform for interaction of people with the government/ council responsible for governance of the area.
In the Shipping sector, Shri Jolly demanded for a transhipment port at Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar with all allied services which will go a long way in harnessing the benefit from the maritime trade along Malacca Starit hardly 100 Kms away. Apart from this, an independent Shipping Corporation for Andaman Nicobar Islands and a ship repairing yard for maintenance of existing vessels as well as a support for the proposed transshipment port too.
In tourism sector, Mr. Jolly citing the enormous tourism potential urged for providing single window online portal for Yatchs/cruise liners so that issuance of permits for these Yatch and cruise liners could be made easier and visitor friendly, which according to him, will help in increasing tourism possibilities. Besides this, demands like introduction of visa on arrival facility for tourists, opening more islands for tourism and development of tourism circuits were also made.
Other developmental issues which were put forth during the meeting included renewal of Palm oil cultivation, review of Shekhar Singh Commission recommendations, exempting Tourism and Fisheries sectors from CRZ norms, giving back the land of Tsunami affected farmers and Promulgation of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Public Employment Regulation.

Muralidharan Pillai
Mayabunder, Mar 24: The Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lt. Gen (Retd.) A K Singh who is visiting all remote Islands frequently to oversee the developmental works and to review the progress of works, visited Rangat and Mayabunder yesterday.
During his visit to Mayabunder, talking exclusively to Andaman Sheekha the Lt. Governor said that the North and Middle Andaman is a new district and his focus is on the development of North and Middle Andaman from the grassroot level. He said that his focus is also towards ensuring basic amenities to the residents of North and Middle Andaman like water, electricity, LPG etc.
The Lt. Governor also provided a photo opportunity to media persons at Mayabunder wearing a traditional jacket gifted by the Karen Community of Mayabunder region.
The detail about his tour to Rangat and Mayabunder has already been published by Andaman Sheekha on 24 March issue.
Andaman Sheekha reporter adds that Lt. Governor’s visit to Mayabunder and his deep interest to reach out to public and PRI members to understand the basic problems of the area, came as a great solace for remote Islanders.
Public and PRI members reportedly raised various issues like disruption in LPG supply, water scarcity, break in internet connectivity etc. infront of the Lt. Governor.
“For most of the issues he spoke to the concerned official and issued necessary directions on the spot while for other issues he assured all possible help from the side of Administration. It really matters when Head of the State visits remote areas and talk to public and public representatives directly,” said a resident of Mayabunder.

Port Blair/ New Delhi, Mar 13: Domestic airlines will have to increase flights to Jammu and Kashmir and the north-east under a proposed credit-based policy that replaces the existing route-dispersal guidelines.

The government has also linked approvals for foreign flights to mandatory operations to remote locations.

The Union civil aviation ministry issued a revised draft proposal last week after airlines and airport operators had raised concerns over an earlier one. The ministry will discuss the issue with airlines on Wednesday.

Domestic airlines now must deploy 10 per cent of their capacities on key routes to Jammu and Kashmir, north-east, Lakshadweep, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Also, domestic airlines are not allowed to fly abroad till they have five years of operations and 20 aircraft (5/20 rule). The government is reviewing this rule.

In January, the ministry proposed increasing the mandatory deployment on less-flown routes to 20 per cent. In the latest proposal, the ministry wants airlines to deploy 30 per cent of their capacity on 20 select routes. Capacity deployment within remote areas, too, is being raised from 1.5 per cent to three per cent. The airlines will earn credits on capacity deployed.

“Airlines will have to consider again network planning. With the new norms, capacity deployment in remote areas will increase significantly and some of it may be unviable,” an executive with a private airline said.

The Federation of Indian Airlines, which is opposing the relaxation of the 5/20 rule, had sought two weeks to file its response but its request was turned down. The Association of Private Airport Operators (APAO) is yet to share its comments on the revised draft.

But in January the APAO had told the ministry not to link policies on flying abroad to route dispersal. “The 5/20 rule needs to be abolished and new global routes must be confined to shortlisted metro airports under the draft policy,” the APAO wrote in its filing. New airlines like Vistara, too, are demanding the abolition of the 5/20 rule.

Under the proposed policy, airlines will require two billion domestic flying credits, an accident-free record, and a safety audit report to become eligible for global flights.

The proposal issued in January did not make a distinction between flight duration. But, according to draft rules issued last week, for long-haul flights exceeding six hours, airlines would need to have three billion flying credits

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Mar 16: Transmission of All India Radio, Port Blair, the lifeline of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was disrupted today in more than two occasions, upsetting remote Islanders, who remain glued to AIR, Port Blair Transmission for crucial information regarding shipping, weather and other local news.
According to reports among two major disruptions, the first disruption occurred from 6.17 PM to 6.23 PM while the second major disruption was reported for more than 30 minutes from 6.56 PM.
Yesterday also there were some disruptions. According to details due to some technical failure in Transmitter such disruptions were reported.

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Mar 13: A youth has been picked by a police team of PS Aberdeen for roaming without pant in Middle Point area. According to reports the youth, who looked mentally disturbed was going in different shops and doing strange things on the road yesterday at around 4.00 PM.
According to eye-witnesses the youth also stepped inside the drain between the road and Head Post office, and was doing objectionable things. Later when information was passed to police, a police team picked him up and dropped him at his house at Chakkargoan. The youth reportedly used to work as Mazdoor in private firms.

DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, Mar 11: Public of Diglipur region, worried because of series of crocodile attacks, have now demanded compensation for the Diglipur Crocodile attack victim, who survived miraculously in yesterday’s crocodile attack.
Mr. Suresh Mondal, S/o Shibu Mondal aged about 22 years (not 49 years, as reported earlier) went to fishing yesterday when he was attacked by a Crocodile. The Crocodile reportedly bit his right hand but he survived the attack miraculously.
Mr. Suresh Mondal, who can recall the entire incident better today than yesterday today told Andaman Sheekha that while heading towards the shore, after attack, they had seen that the crocodile was chasing them.
When Contacted the DFO of Diglipur Mr. Ajay Kumar IFS said that there is no provision of compensation for the Crocodile attack victims.
“There is a scheme called Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, which was launched recently in which in case of accident, the PMJDY account card holder is liable for compensation, if he is enrolled as per the rules. The concerned bank has to act as per the Scheme to release the compensation,” said a PRI member.