ANDAMAN SHEEKHA

The True Mirror of A & N Islands

National Youth Day on Jan 12

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Port Blair, Jan 11: The birthday of Swami Vivekananda will be observed in the islands as National Youth Day on January 12, 2012 together with the rest of the country.

To mark the occasion, the Sports & Youth Affairs department of the Administration in association with the Education department Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK), Govt. colleges, Andaman Nicobar AIDS Control Society (ANACS) and Ramakrishna Mission, Port Blair will be organising a rally from Netaji Stadium at 06:30 AM to the statue of Swami Vivekananda in the premises of the Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM) where the Principal Secretary (Finance) will pay tributes at the statue of Swami Vivekananda at 08:30 AM.

Death Mourned

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Port Blair, Jan 11: Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, President, Pradesh Congress Committee and other senior leaders of Congress Party have deeply mourned the untimely and sad demise of G.C. Barai, Executive Engineer, CD-III, aged about 59 years, R/o Prothrapur, expired on 09/01/2012 at 7:35 P.M in Apollo Hospital, Chennai.

Prices of essential commodities fixed

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Port Blair, Jan 10:  The Directorate of Civil Supplies has released the retail selling prices of essential commodities prevailing in the market as on Jan 09, 2012. Accordingly, the prices of Atta is Rs.30/- to 35/-, sugar Rs.40/-, Andhra ponni Rs.28/-, ponni raw rice (sun, tiger brand etc.) Rs.38, ponni boiled rice (sun, tiger brand etc.) Rs.38/-, raw rice Rs.25/-, urad dal Rs.72/-, moong dal Rs.73/-, white mutter Rs.36/-, gram dal Rs.62/-, toor dal Rs.72/-, masoor dal Rs. 52/-, gram whole Rs.56/-, mutter dhal Rs.39/-, G.N. oil Rs. 95/-, Mustard oil Rs.96/-, onion Rs.18/-, potato Rs.12/-, the Asst. Director (Enf.) said in a communication here.

Students block road; demand basic facilities

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Mridul Podder

Port Blair, Jan 09: Hundreds of Students of Port Blair’s Boys’ Sr. Secondary School today blocked the Bengali Club-Goal Ghar road demanding playgrounds, Multipurpose Hall, access to canteen and various other basis facilities.

Students, alleging negligence from the side of Education Department, demanded immediate steps to fulfil their demands and sat on protest since nearly 6.00 AM in the morning. The protest disrupted normal traffic flow in Port Blair City, forcing the traffic police to deviate traffic to alternate routes.

Soon prominent members of Boys’ School Alumni and political leaders flocked the protest side with their support.

“The demands of students are genuine. Boys’ School, which is one of the oldest Schools of A &N Islands presently doesn’t have a playground, it’s campus has been encroached by other institutions. We have been fighting for this cause since last many years,” Mr. John Lobo, one of the prominent members of Boys’ School Alumni told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.

As protest gained heat, senior officers of Education Department of A & N Administration had to come down to the protest site for negotiation but students demanded a written assurance from Education Department.

“Students are not willing give up until and unless they get a written assurance from side of Education Department,” said Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, the lone Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who had also joined the agitation.

“They felt that they do not have some facilities in school and they raised voice for the same. The Education Department is assuring to fulfil their demands,” Mr. R Devdas the Director of Andaman’s Education Department told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today. The protest ended at 11.40 am when a written assurance was handed over to the students by the Director of Education.
In the letter of Assurance handed over to the students mentioned that the canteen of TGCE will accessible to the students of Boy’s School and the Principal of TGCE has been instructed to keep the gate between GDMS and Boys’ Sr. Sec School open.
The letter also mentioned that the commissioner –cum- secretary (Education ) has already instructed the APWD to remove the temporary structures and to develop the area as play ground. Assurances were also given for providing Multipurpose Hall to students and fulfilling other demands of the students.

WHAT WENT WRONG WITH ANDAMAN’S EDUCATION SYSTEM?

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Sheekha Bureau

Port Blair, Jan 09: Today’s protest by students of Boys Senior Secondary School has made one thing clear that the Education System of A & N Administration needs an urgent review. The issue which went unnoticed by many was that among all demands, placed by the students, one of the prominent demands was to provide drinking water and toilet facilities for students in Boys School.

With this one can imagine how good the infrastructure of government schools is in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Boys School is believed to be the oldest and one of the prominent schools of A & N Islands. Not only this, the school is situated right at the heart of the city and a few hundred metres away from DEO South. If students of a prominent school like Boys Sr. Sec School are demanding for basic infrastructure like drinking water and toilet blocks, one can understand what will be the condition of other schools situated in remote Islands.

Andaman Sheekha has already published reports about poor infrastructures and mismanagements in remote islands of Middle and North Andaman earlier and today’s protest have confirmed that the Education system and the total management of Education Department, need an urgent review.

 

Adding to this as per CBSE norms every schools must have a playground and basic facilities of drinking waters and toilet block but one wonders how even prominent schools are run in Andaman without such infrastructure. Is this because of negligence of the A & N Administration or because of lack of proper check from authorities in Education Department? After protest in GSSS Swadesh Nagar School and GSSS Oralkacha School this is third such protest reported since last two months. It seems that this is just a beginning and these Islands will witness many more such protest in near future.

Mr. KK Yadav Director Postal Services inaugurated 41st UPU Letter writing Competition held at Port Blair

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Port Blair, Jan 09: Department of Posts , A & N Islands Port Blair organized 41st Universal Postal Union (U.P.U) Letter writing competition on 8th January, 2012 ( Sunday ) at JNRM college , Port Blair from 10.00 to 11.00 hrs . The function was inaugurated by Mr. Krishna Kumar Yadav, Director Postal services, A & N Islands. The subject of Letter writing competition was, “Write a letter to an athlete or sports figure you admire to explain what the Olympic Games mean to you.’’

On the occasion Mr. Krishna Kumar Yadav, Director Postal Services said that the letter writing competition is a mean of communication through which children can share the ideas or express their feelings thoroughly. With our busy modern life, many still believes to have importance of letter writing and Department of Posts takes the opportunity to organize such event nationwide to improve the knowledge base of school going children and also the importance of Stamp collection among youngsters and to bring happiness in relationship.

Mr. Krishna Kumar Yadav, Director Postal Services further added that this competition was organized at National Level. All entries of A & N Islands will be judged at Kolkata and the best entries at Circle level will be forwarded at National Level. For 1st, 2nd & 3rd position at National level , cash prize of Rs 2000/- , Rs 1500/- and Rs 1000/- along with certificate will be awarded . Consolation prize of Rs 250/- for best entry from each Postal circle and a certificate will also be awarded. The best entry at National level shall qualify as the official entry at the International Competition at Universal Postal Union level which in turn will select three award winning entries with 1st, 2nd & 3rd prize as Gold , Silver & Bronze medals with an album of UPU official postage stamps.

In this letter writing competition at Port Blair, altogether 30 students were participated. There were a large number of participants from Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Port Blair , Carmel School , Port Blair and Ummat Public School, Port Blair.

A philatelic counter has been kept open and various postage stamps were made available for sale at the counter with the facility of opening of Philatelic Deposit Accounts by depositing Rs 200/- only. Children were found very anxious about the stamps and have shown keen interest in opening of PD accounts.

Human Rights Awareness Programme organised

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Port Blair, Jan 09: Human Rights Organization, Bathu Basthi, Branch, Port Blair organized an Human Rights Awareness programme on 07/01/2012 at Bathu Basthi Panchayat public stage at 6 pm. Mr. P.Sendhil Prabhu, Organizer , Human Rights organization (Bathu Basthi branch) welcomed the  guests and the villagers. Mr. R.Karunanithi , President, Human Rights Organization delivered speech on the past  and present service  of the Organization in the island, followed by Mr. R. Paulpandian, President, Traders wing, A & N Islands, Mr. Sahaabuddin, Spokespersan, A & N Islands and Mr.C.Saravanan, General Secretary  explained the aims and objectives  of   Organization and  also urge the  people  for  enrollment of new members.  Mr. Sendhil Prabhu appreciates the organization for conducting such awareness programme and assures  for  early settlement of  long pending issues of  Bathu Basthi, villagers. The meeting ends with the speech vote of thanks by  Mr. G.Pandian.

ANSCB’s Wimberlygunj ATM inaugurated

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Port Blair, Jan 09: Mr. Saroop Lall, Chairman of the A & N State Co-operative Bank Ltd. has inaugurated the 10th ATM of the Bank at Wimberlygunj on 6th January, 2012 in the presence of Board of Directors of the Bank, prominent leaders, PRI members, officials from Banks, Govt. Departments, valued customers and other local residents of the Area.
Speaking on the occasion, the Managing Director, Mr. P Kunjumon requested the resident of the area to make best use of the services provided by the Bank including the ATM services. This fulfils the long pending demands of the valued customers of the bank in the area.

Islands’ unorganized workers social security Rules to be notified shortly: CS

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Port Blair, Jan 06: Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament had taken up the matter regarding social security benefits to workers of unorganized sector and their families with the A & N Administration vide letter dated 28/11/2011. Mr. Shakti Sinha, Chief Secretary, A & N Administration vide a letter dated 20/12/2011 has now informed Mr. Ray that a draft rules “Andaman & Nicobar Islands unorganized workers social security Rules 2011 have been prepared and will be notified shortly.”
It was further informed that the provision of social security benefits to this section of the society will be taken up through “A & N Social Security Board” proposed to be constituted under the rules The benefits can be provided the existing Central Govt Schemes or through plan schemes of UT Administration which are found more suitable for the unorganized workers. A new plan scheme would be proposed under 12th five year plan for the unorganized workers and put up to the Board when it is constituted, for its recommendations.