Port Blair, Aug 04: After completion of the camp court the Secretary (Rural Development), Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS inspected the waste management clusters of Chouldhari village
It was observed that the waste management system is not properly functioning. Compost and wastes of cloth products have not been cleared by the Contractor. The Secretary (RD) directed the contractor to immediately clear the wastes for disposal that are lying idle at the Waste compound.
The Secretary (RD) directed the Panchayat Secretary to apprise the progress of the waste management cluster within a week time.
Archives for August 4, 2024
Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan to Host Digital-Based Science Talent Search Exam for School Students in 2024-25
Port Blair, Aug 04: Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan is conducting a Digital Based and Largest Science Talent Search Examination 2024-25 for popularizing science among school students studying in class VI to XI standard. It is an initiative of Vigyan Bharti in collaboration with National Council of Science Museum, Kolkata (NCSM) and NCERT, Ministry of Education, GoI. This talent search examination will be held on 23rd October, 2024 or 27th October, 2024 in 12 major regional Indian languages. As part of the event, Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan, a unit of Port Blair in association with Science Centre organized an Open House Quiz Competition on the topic “Importance of National Space Day” for the registered students of different schools in & around Port Blair today. Based on the competition, Carmel Sr. Sec. School, Port Blair was adjudged first position whereas Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Pathergudda & St. Mary’s Sr. Sec. School, Bathubasthi were adjudged second & third positions respectively.
Around 50 students of different schools alongwith their parents participated in the programme. The winners of above event shall be awarded during the felicitation ceremony of students who participated in the National Level Camp (NLC) 2023-24 to be organized on 24th August, 2024.
Andaman College (ANCOL) to Prepare Panel of Guest Faculties for Academic Session 2024-2025
Port Blair, Aug 04: The Andaman College (ANCOL) proposes to prepare a panel of Guest Faculties in the following disciplines on as and when required basis for the Academic Session 2024-2025 in B.Com (Commerce), B.Com (Corporate Secretary-ship), B.A (Economics), B.A (English), B.Sc (Psychology), B.A (Sociology), B.B.A (Business Administration), B.P.A. Music (Hindustani Vocal and Instrumentation), Library Science, Physical Education, Environmental Studies, Public Administration, Hindi, Tamil Bengali, Herbal Nutrition, Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, French, Computer Science, Yoga Education & Health & Wellness, Electronics and Biotechnology.
The Guest Lecturers/Resource Persons shall be paid honorarium @ Rs. 1500 per lecture subject to a maximum of Rs. 50,000/- per month as per the UGC norms. The appointment will be purely on a temporary basis depending upon the requirement of the teaching workload in the concerned subject. The detailed Notice and Application Format and self-marking proforma can be downloaded from the College’s official website https://ancol.andaman.gov.in. The duly filled in application form, self-marking proforma along with self-attested relevant documents and testimonials should be submitted on or before 08.08.2024 at 3.30 pm in the Andaman College Office.
1st International Conference on Computational Intelligence for Security, Communication, and Sustainable Development
Port Blair, Aug 04: Dr. B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology in association with IEEE Computer Society (CPS) is organizing the 1st International Conference on Computational Intelligence for Security, Communication and Sustainable Development, scheduled on August 5th & 6th, 2024. The accepted and presented papers will be published in IEEEXplore Indexed in Scopus.
IEEEXplore (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) is a publication platform of International repute for research and development in Electrical engineering, Computer science, Electronics and Interdisciplinary researches domains.
The conference aims to bring together leading researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to discuss advancements and innovations in computational intelligence, particularly in the domains of information security, communication applications and sustainable development.
The conference will be inaugurated by Prof. K.K Aggarwal, a prominent academician of international repute, presently President of the South Asian University (a university established by SAARC Nations) and Ex-Chairman National Board of Accreditation GoI, Prof. (Dr). Makarand Madhao Ghangrekar, Director, NITPY shall be the guest of Honor. Mr. L. Kumar IAS, Secretary, Higher Education, A&N Administration will grace the occasion as Chief Patron during the inaugural session on August 5 at 9.30 am.
The event will bring together renowned experts including Dr. Om Pal, Associate Professor, University of Delhi, Dr. Steven Fernandez Creighton University, USA, Dr. Harihara Gopalan, CEO, Zyphron Technologies, Bangalore and Mr. Ramakrishna B.N, Director, ISRO/ISTRAC, Bangalore.
The two-day event will feature keynote speeches, technical sessions, and research paper presentations focused on the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber security, communication networks, and sustainable development.
More than 250 participants will be attending in the Conference including Engineers, academicians and Scientists from various Govt. Departments, as well as delegates from local industries and students of Higher Educational Institutes as well as researchers from all over the globe connected through online/offline mode.
Inspection of District Road Safety Committee
Port Blair, Aug 04: The District Road Safety Committee, led by Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman, conducted an inspection to address pressing issues of congestion of traffic and sanitation in city areas of Port Blair.
Accompanied by Mrs. Niharika Bhatt, IPS, Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District, Mr. Amit Kale, IAS, Secretary PBMC, Mr. Vinayak Chamadia, IAS, Sub Divisional Magistrate and other key officials from PBMC, A & N Traffic Police, the team meticulously assessed sanitation concerns and issued directives.
The DRSC team observed that the congestion of traffic due roadside encroachments in the entire Bathu Basthi and Garacharma area has to be removed. APWD shall repair & widen the road sides of this stretch with proper road markings & sign boards. A meeting with the ward councilors and PBMC officials for the removal of encroachments in the Bathu Basti and Garacharma areas, and to repair and widen the roadsides of this stretch for smooth traffic management shall be scheduled at the earliest
The vacant land opposite to Karpagam Hotel, Bathu Basti Junction needs to be developed which may be used for parking of auto rickshaw/Two wheeler. At present the land is under the possession of IP&T department. The DC (SA) directed the APWD officials to obtain an NOC from IP&T and prepare an estimated cost for making a parking lot.
During inspection it was observed that the design of the existing road divider at Bathu Basti needs to be modified in order to get more space on the road. The DC (SA) directed to conduct a field visit to ascertain the feasibility of modifying the existing Bathu Basti divider, and also to conduct a meeting with NHIDCL for execution of the work.
It was observed that congestion of traffic during school hours near Carmel Sr. Sec. School, K.V-I, Nirmala Sr. Sec. School and VKV at Lamba Line are at their peak. The Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman directed that a meeting to be conducted with the school authorities and a field survey may also be conducted to identify at least two schools to assess the feasibility of using public transport for picking up and dropping off students and further the school authorities should allow the parents to drop & pickup children from their school campus by identifying separate space inside the campus.
Further, the parking lot in front of VKV at VSI Airport shall be used for parking vehicles from 0700 to 1500 hrs. The DC (SA) directed the Dy. SP/Traffic to prepare a list of vehicles that are supposed to be parked during these times.
The Deputy Commissioner, (SA) directed the PBMC officials to conduct meetings with the Principals of Carmel Senior Secondary School and KV-I to surrender a portion of the land and also obtain NOC to prepare an estimated cost for widening the road by approximately 2 meters along the 70-meter stretch and also the drainage in front of KV-1 main gate area and Carmel Senior Secondary School to be covered by concrete slabs that can be used for parking of vehicles.
For Ratnam Market, the Committee directed enhanced cleaning protocols and the creation of designated waste disposal areas. Bathubasti Vegetable Market, required daily cleaning, the provision of dustbins for each shopkeeper and clearly defined waste disposal zones. The need for urgent drain cleaning near KV School at DAG Colony was also emphasized to prevent health hazards.
Secretary PBMC directed the Sanitary Officer to look into these issues and ensure that all directives are implemented effectively and promptly. This will improve the sanitation and public health standards across the District.
Farmers preparing Neemastra one of the important ingredient for Natural Farming
Port Blair, Aug 04: A meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Shri B.S. Jaglan, IAS, Secretary (Agri), A&N Administration to discuss about various programmes to promote Natural Farming in these Islands in convergence with other Departments like Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services and Department of Forest in coordination with Research Institutes on 1st August, 2024.
The meeting was attended by Shri Abhishek Gulia, Director of Agriculture, Dr. Jai Sunder, ICAR-CIARI, Director, In charge, Dr. Pooja Bohra, ICAR-CIARI, Horticulture Scientist, Shri Ramesh Kumar, Joint Director (Agri) HQ.
Natural Farming is a chemical-free alias traditional method of farming where the cost of growing and harvesting plants is zero. In this method, the farmers need not purchase fertilizers and pesticides in order to ensure the healthy growth of crops. It is considered as agroecology based diversified farming system which integrates crops, trees and livestock with functional
biodiversity. The four essential components of Natural Farming are Beejamrit, Jivamrita, Mulching and Waahphasa.
With an aim to improve yield and increase farmers’ income, ensure healthy food for all and to ensure environment benefits, Department of Agriculture, A&N Administration is focusing on promotion of Natural Farming in these Islands. Concerted efforts are being made by the Department to create awareness on natural farming. 150 demonstrations on preparation of neemastra and 103 demonstrations on preparation of jeevamrit were conducted in the farmers’ field in all the zones. After being trained by staff of Agriculture Department, farmers have started preparing Neemastra for natural farming at their holdings.
It was decided in the meeting that to sensitize farmers on Natural Farming a State Level Workshop-cum-Seminar will also be organized in association with all the stakeholders.
District Health Society South Andaman Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week with Extensive Awareness Programs
Port Blair, Aug 04: The District Health Society, South Andaman, has commenced the celebration of World Breastfeeding Week scheduled from August 1st to August 7th 2024 with a week-long event. The inaugural progamme was held at Primary Health Centre (PHC)/Proposed District Hospital Garacharma, marking a significant initiative to promote breastfeeding as a vital health commitment.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Smti Champa Das, Pramukh, Prothrapur Block, Dr. Izra Begum, Medical Superintendent of PHC/DH Garacharma and Shri B. Nagendra, District Programme Manager, DHS (SA), who collectively emphasized the transformative impact of breastfeeding on maternal and child health.
This year’s theme ‘Breastfeeding is not a choice, it’s a commitment’, underscores the critical importance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of both mothers and infants.
The Pramukh highlighted that breastfeeding is not only a nutritional necessity but a profound commitment that strengthens family bonds and supports community health. MS, PHC/ DH Garacharma, DPM, DHS (SA) and Medical Officers of PHC/DH Garacharma & RBSK reiterated the aspects of breastfeeding’s benefits, emphasizing its role in promoting infant immunity and overall well-being.
Throughout World Breastfeeding Week, the District Health Society will conduct extensive awareness programs across health facilities and community settings. These initiatives aim to educate healthcare professionals, mothers, and caregivers about the benefits of breastfeeding and provide practical guidance on fostering a supportive breastfeeding environment.
The key activities planned for the week include interactive educational workshops, distribution of informational materials such as brochures, and community outreach efforts comprising discussions. These activities are designed to address common concerns, dispel myths, and encourage a culture that values and supports breastfeeding.
Large-Scale Neem Plantation Drive Launched Across A&N Islands Under ‘Arista Amrit Sarovar Project
Port Blair, Aug 04: In a remarkable display of collective commitment to environmental sustainability, large-scale neem plantation drive is organized across Amrit Sarovar sites in the UT of A&N Islands so called as ‘Arista Amrit Sarovar Project’, as per the directions of Chief Secretary, A & N Administration. The initiative, that underscores the region’s dedication to enhancing green cover and promoting overall ecological balance was undertaken across all districts under the guidance of Secretary (RD).
The ongoing mass plantation drive has been achieved through the concerted efforts of Rural Development Department of A & N Administration and the MGNREGA team and has seen the active participation of a broad spectrum of stakeholders including local villagers, Pradhans of respective Gram Panchayats, other PRI members, Panchayat Secretaries, Govt. Officials from Departments like Revenue, Forest, Agriculture, Police to name a few. The participation of Assistant Commissioner of Rangat Sub-Division has also been witnessed during the Neem Plantation drive around Amrit Sarovar of Gram Panchayat Parnasala.
The initiative highlights a significant community effort and exemplifies the power of collaboration in advancing environmental goals. By planting neem trees, the program not only contributes to the efforts to conserve local biodiversity and promote sustainable development but also aims to tap into the various benefits of neem- called ‘Arista’ in Sanskrit meaning ‘perfect, complete and imperishable’. Neem has shown remarkable potential in environmental conservation, pest management and medicine.
The initiative is also in line with the Government of India’s direction to conduct mass plantation drives as part of the upcoming Independence Day celebrations.
Assistant Commissioner Launches Kuposhan and Anemia Mukt Abhyaan in Shaheed Dweep to Combat Malnutrition
Port Blair, Aug 04: The Assistant Commissioner, Swaraj Dweep, Shri Vikram Singh inaugurated Kuposhan and Anemia Mukt Abhyaan in Shaheed Dweep with the support of officials from Social Welfare Department, Panchayat Pradhan and Hope Foundation.
The Kuposhan and Anemia Mukt Abhyaan was officially launched at Gram Panchayat, Neil Kendra, Shaheed Dweep, making a pivotal step in addressing malnutrition and anemia among vulnerable population.
Kuposhan and Anemia Mukt Abhiyaan focuses on combating malnutrition by providing essential nutritional support to malnourished children and pregnant women, and nutrient rich diet kits will be distributed to improve overall health and combat nutritional deficiency effectively.
This campaign is collaborative effort involving officials from Social Welfare Department, Directorate of Health Services, Shaheed Dweep, Pradhan, Smti Pinkey Dass and Hope Foundation leader, Smt. Fareeda. All the Departments will continue this monitoring and health boost up for the next 6 months.
The Assistant Commissioner also inspected all 10 Anganwadis and noted minor development requirements. On 15th August, Inter-Anganwadi competition will be held in Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep. The Anganwadi Centres will be monitored on basis of hygiene, effective artistic painting, toys and play area available, medicinal plants Vatika and child specific activities. The Assistant Commissioner’s Office will provide toys and prizes to the top 3 Anganwadis. Adopt an Anganwadi Scheme will also be launched in which an NGO or through CSR fund, developmental upgradation will be done.