Sri Vijaya Puram, September 30: A melodious evening titled “Meri Awaaz Hi Pahechaan Hai #3 (Ishwar Satya Hai…!!!)” was held at Hotel Driftwood, Haddo, on Saturday, September 28th, to pay tribute to the legendary singer and Bharat Ratna, Lata Mangeshkar, on her 95th birth anniversary.
The event, organized by Jhumurr Socio-Cultural Society with LM-fan Club and in collaboration with Hotel Driftwood, was a heartfelt homage to the ‘Nightingale of India’ for her exceptional musical journey spanning 75 years.
Concept & Programme Designing by Ashees Poddar, Creative Director & Convenor of the Society. The evening was a beautiful celebration of Lata Ji’s timeless duets with male co-singers from various generations, showcasing the different moods and genres of her evergreen music.
The event began with a floral tribute and cake-cutting ceremony, in honor of Lata Mangeshkar. Smt. Ananya Karak, one of the top singers from the Islands, opened the evening with a stunning rendition of Lata Ji’s iconic song ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram.’
Beside a number of Golden and melodious duets of Lata Ji of various moods with different male Co-Singers of different generations, a Geetmala (medley) conceived well by Smt. Sonali Podder as the special attraction of show, was also presented beautifully by the female singers with some evergreen songs of Lataji, culminating the programme in a grand manner.
The other lead singers of the show Smti. Parvati Anil, Smti. Arunima Ghosh, Smti. Salma, and Smti. Minaz Nadeem as a guest artiste enchanted the audience by their renditions.
Male singers included Shri K. Mammi (for Mohd.Rafi) as the special guest artiste, Shri. Abdul Rasheed (Mohd.Rafi & Mahendra Kapoor), Shri. Shailender Singh (Amit Kumar, Suresh Wadekar, Udit Narayan & Manmohan Singh) Shri. Aktar Hussain (Kumar Sanu, S.P Balasubramanium, Manna Dey & Jolly Mukherjee), Shri. Raj (Mukesh), Shri. Rajesh Anand (Hemant Kumar), Shri. Mohd. Nisar (Shailendra Singh & Kumar Sanu), Shri. Rajesh Ghosh (Mohd. Aziz & Mohd.Rafi), Shri. Ujjwal Dhali (Abhijeet) and Shri. Ashees Poddar (Kishore Kumar, Hemant Kumar, Bhupender Singh & Shabbir Kumar)
The show, anchored by Shri. Raj and coordinated by Shri. Shailendra Singh & Shri. Aktar Hussain, was lauded as a grand success, drawing participation from eminent guests like Smt. & Shri. K.Mammi, Smt. Zubaida Begum, Smt. Sageeta Chand, Smt. Monidipa Mukherjee, Smt. Jharna Bose, Shri. Sanjib Kumar Roy, Smt. Sumita Sanyal, Smt. Babita Roychowdhury, Shri Khitish Karak, Shri Debesh Roy, Shri. G. Anil Kumar, Shri. Appa Rao & Shri Jay Nair.

The night concluded with thunderous applause, a fitting tribute to Lata Mangeshkar’s enduring legacy in Indian music.

Rabindranath Biswas
Kamorta ,Sept. 27: Vehicle ferry service in Kamorta, Champin, Hitui and Munak Islands was severely disrupted owing to malfunctioning of two vehicle ferry boats ferrying in the island.
According to information, the situation is extremely grim in Kamorta, Champin, Hitui and Munak as the motor vessel the is the sole commuting means in these islands and the service provided by it was disrupted owing to malfunctioning of vehicle ferry boats MV Galathia as well as MV Barren.
According to sources, the residents of these islands demanded that these ferry boats should be decommissioned as they have reached decrepit condition while the MV Galathia developed holes beneath, they claimed. And the administration stopped the service of MV Galathia and placed only MV Barren in service. And now since the Barren has also developed a major snag, the residents especially school going children of the islands such as Champin, Hitui and Munak are suffering a lot, they rued.
The situation is unspeakable as the exams in schools are going on while the students couldn’t reportedly attend schools and write the exams yesterday, they further alleged. Though the ferry boat MV Barren was repaired and placed in service, the residents of these islands reportedly can’t rely on the boat and its service as it may breakdown at any moment, they said. In absence of the boat service, residents of these islands reportedly used small dinghies, however, it was highly risky and perilous in the inclement weather and/or rough sea conditions to sail in the tiny dinghies, they said.
They reportedly transmitted a message/signal to the Chief Secretary, Director of Shipping Services and the Member of Parliament as well and apprised them of all the grievous situation they were confronting. However, the higher authorities assured that they would take up the matter on priority. The residents of Kamorta and other islands were reportedly waiting for the redressal; and they said that new boat should have been placed in service but the defunct MV Barren hasn’t been replaced by a new one yet, they lamented.
And the residents now don’t know the reason why the matter is not taken seriously while it is much concerning, the decried. It is a serious issue and the administration should immediately resolve it as ferry boat service is life-line in this group of islands, and without it patients and students are put in grievous situation, they rued.
The denizens of these islands further said that the DSS carried out a mending on the MV Barren but it doesn’t guarantee how many days it will sail and then they will have to face the wrath of the situation again in the event of it going kaput, they warned. They would further talk to the administration so as to resume the service with a new boat so that they face no such difficulties in future. However, if their demand isn’t met, the Tribal Council along with students and the general public would mount a peaceful agitation in front of the Office of the Assistant Commissioner, they further warned.

Saurabh Adhikari & Vikramaditya
Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 22: Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, the Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, today addressed a press conference and highlighted a range of pressing issues that were brought to light. From infrastructure delays and challenges in agricultural supply to a growing drug menace affecting the youth, Mr. Ray expressed deep concerns about the administration’s performance and the future of the islands.
One of the key issues highlighted by MP was the delay in completing the National Highway projects and the construction of Middle Strait bridge in the region. MP Mr. Ray highlighted that despite multiple assurances from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, the projects have faced continuous delays. He mentioned that letters and official statements from the ministry have provided specific timelines, but these deadlines have repeatedly been pushed back.
Mr. Ray cited a letter from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, which promised that the work of National Highway-4 (Baratang to Ram Nagar) will be completed by November 25, 2025. According to the Member of Parliament the Minister of Road Transport and Highways has also assured to complete Middle Strait (Baratang) Bridge by February 26, 2026.
Another significant point raised was the shortage of essential agricultural inputs, specifically DAP and urea. MP Mr. Ray revealed that he had written to Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, in August to address the shortage. However, by the end of September, the islands had still not received the required supplies, leaving local farmers in distress.
The MP expressed frustration at the administrative processes and blamed local bureaucracy for the delay. He warned that the prolonged shortage of fertilizers could severely affect the farming community, potentially impacting food production in the islands.
The healthcare system in the Andaman Islands was another focal point of Mr. Ray’s address. He mentioned his recent visit to several hospitals, including those in Mayabunder and Baratang, where he observed a lack of essential medical equipment and services. Pregnant women, he noted, were particularly vulnerable due to the unavailability of crucial testing machines, and the general population was suffering from a lack of proper medical care in rural health centers.
In addition to the inadequate facilities, Mr. Ray criticized the administration for not hiring enough medical professionals to manage the existing healthcare infrastructure. He called the situation “dangerous” and implored the local government to make immediate improvements. He warned that if these healthcare issues were not resolved, they would continue to endanger the lives of residents in the more remote parts of the Andaman Islands.
One of the most alarming topics discussed during the press conference was the growing drug problem in the region. MP Mr. Ray expressed deep concern about the rising drug abuse among the youth, blaming both local law enforcement and the administration for not addressing the issue adequately. According to him, a significant drug racket is operating in the islands, with narcotics being smuggled into the region from mainland India and other countries.
Mr. Ray accused the police of being complicit in allowing the drug trade to flourish, claiming that several cases had been mishandled or not investigated properly. In his words, “The future of our youth is at stake, and the authorities must take immediate action to protect them from falling into this trap.”
Attacking the Lt. Governor in several fronts, the Member of Parliament accused the Lt. Governor for not meeting the General Public and requested him to leave the post.
Regarding Deemed University the Member of Parliament warned the Administration not to start Deemed University in these islands.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 20: The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS, today rededicated the service of MV Shompen as Hospital Ship during a function organized by the Directorate of Shipping Services, A& N Administration at Phoenix Bay Jetty, Sri Vijaya Puram here this morning. The Secretary, Shipping, Ms Purva Garg, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman, Shri Arjun Sharma, IAS, Director, ANIIMS, Dr. Pragya Sharma, Director, Health Services, Dr. Suja Antony, Director, Shipping, Capt. Atul Kumar Singh and other senior officials from Directorate of Shipping Services, Health Services were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Secretary lauded the Secretary and Director of Shipping Services for initiating this commendable step, through meticulous planning, methodical preparation and perseverance. He also encouraged the crew and staff of MV Shompen and appreciated the Health Department for supporting this vision by deploying two doctors for the ship. He expressed confident that this ship will be able to go to the areas where it is very difficult for the patients to come.
The Chief Secretary concluded his address by congratulating the crew members, the entire team of Shipping services and all those who made it possible to see this day and bestowed his best wishes to doctors.
In his welcome address, the Director, Shipping said, the vessel has the capacity to carry 16 patients who are not on stretchers, and 4 patients who are on stretcher. In addition, with the cooperation of DHS, ANIIMS staff, the crew will support the medical teams during the trips to conduct medical camps in different parts of the Island. He said, arrangements have also been made for doctors to be on board, along with essential hospital equipment. In the coming months, DSS aim to establish a small operation theatre on this vessel. He further informed that Medical camps will be held at various remote locations, and DSS will begin this effort with a mission to Strait Island this coming Monday.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 19: Master jaishish, a resident of school line, s/o venkat lav kumar and purnima mohan, trained Muaythai under N jagadeka varma at Champions zone muaythai and MMA club, he has shown exceptional skills in Muaythai and secured gold in Muaythai National held in Chennai (2023) , and Assam(2024). He was selected to represent India in the IFMA youth world championship which was held at Bangkok, Thailand. Master Jaishish took part in -44 kgs category under 10 to 11 Age, he has shown exceptional skills and secured a bronze medal for team India. He is the first islander to take part in Muaythai World championships and to secure a medal.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 18: Admiral DK Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency chaired a presentation along with Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS, Chief Secretary, A&N Administration and other Senior Officers of Andaman & Nicobar Administration at Raj Niwas today to review redevelopment project of Swaraj Dweep harbour area with conceptual inputs from Senior Architects of Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
MoU is being signed between Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Andaman & Nicobar Administration for providing architectural and design support for various projects in A&N Islands.