Archives for November 24, 2024

Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 24: In pursuance of the directions of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Andaman & Nicobar Islands, organized a Legal Awareness Programme on Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes and Children & Women Rights at the Auditorium of the Anthropological Survey of India, Sri Vijaya Puram today. The programme was led by Mr. Sudhir Kumar, Learned District Judge-cum-Chairman, DLSA, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Mrs. Arkabrati Neogi, Learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, South Andaman-cum-Secretary, DLSA, Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
During the event, participants were sensitized about the following rights and legal protections:
Rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes:
Protection under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which prohibits discrimination, exploitation, and violence against SC/ST communities.
Safeguards under the Constitution of India, including reservations in education and employment, and the right to participate in political processes.
Provisions under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation, 1956, ensuring the protection of indigenous tribes in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands from exploitation and harm, particularly in restricted areas.
Children’s Rights:
Protection and care under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The right to free and compulsory education under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
Legal safeguards against child labour and abuse under the POCSO Act, 2012.
Women’s Rights:
Protection from domestic violence under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
Provisions for equal opportunities and safeguards at the workplace under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013.
Safeguards against dowry-related harassment under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
The speakers emphasized the importance of raising awareness about these rights to empower individuals and communities. They also highlighted the role of the Legal Services Authority in providing free legal aid and ensuring justice for the marginalized and vulnerable sections of society.

Port Blair, Nov 24: The 21st Livestock Census was launched on 25th October, 2024 onwards and is being carried out across the country and will be completed by February, 2025. This exercise is done at every 5 years interval to ascertain the number of livestock which will help in planning schemes and designing strategies for improvement of Livestock Sector and increasing its contributions to Gross Domestic Product of our country. The features of 21st Livestock census is that for the second time the entire operation is being done digitally. The enumeration work is done through Electronic Gadget (Tablets/Smart Phones) which are loaded with a software which is specifically designed and developed by NDLM wing of Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, New Delhi.
The objective of Livestock Census is to provide details on livestock population (domestic animals and poultry birds) along with their breed, sex, age and use for 16 species in rural and urban areas. The Livestock Census serves as a critical tool for gathering comprehensive data on the livestock population across India. Its objective are multifaceted aimed at facilitating proper planning, formulation, implementation and monitoring of programs meant to improve livestock sector. The key objectives of the Livestock Census are Data Collection, Planning and Formulation, Identification of Trends in Livestock sector, Resource allocation and International reporting.
The Livestock Census will be conducted in all the districts of all States & UT across the country covering all households, non-households, enterprises and Institutions of rural as well as urban areas. The census will also be conducted in all Defence establishment, Para-military forces and State Police establishments. The Sex-wise number of stray cattle will also be collected in 21st Livestock Census.
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, A & N Administration being the Nodal Agency for this UT covers 549 villages and 24 Wards spread over 3 Districts of this UT. 53 enumerators, 8 supervisors and 3 District Nodal Officers will work under the direction of Assistant State Nodal Officer & State Nodal Officer to complete the work.
The 21st Livestock Census also started in this UT and the final submission would be done by February 2025. All Livestock owners have been requested to cooperate with the designated livestock enumerators when they visit the household and provide accurate data as desired.

 

Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 24: A comprehensive field exercise simulating an earthquake scenario was successfully conducted yesterday by NDRF at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Hospital, Mayabunder. The exercise aimed to evaluate and enhance the readiness of emergency response teams in managing earthquake-related disasters. Key participants included the Search and Rescue Teams of the Police, Fire Service, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), who demonstrated exemplary coordination and efficiency in rescuing trapped victims. Mr. G G Paul, Tehsildar, Mayabunder, assumed the critical role of Incident Commander during the exercise. His leadership ensured the smooth execution of rescue operations and highlighted the need for an organized command structure during disasters.
Following the field exercise, an awareness session on Do’s and Don’ts during Earthquakes was conducted for students of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Mayabunder. The session aimed to educate young minds on preparedness and safety measures to adopt during seismic events, fostering a culture of disaster resilience within the community.
Such exercises and awareness initiatives are vital in equipping both response teams and the general public with the skills and knowledge necessary to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.

Port Blair, Nov 24: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services organized Veterinary Health Camp at Afra Bay, Great Nicobar recently. This initiative was a significant step towards improving the livelihood and nutritional security of the tribal community residing in this isolated village.
The objective of organizing the Veterinary Health Camp was to examine the Livestock and Poultry of the tribal villages and provide treatment to the sick animals and birds. Dr. Sanjhali Soren, Senior Veterinary Officer, VH Campbell Bay, who organized the camp with the cooperation of local Administration and representatives of the tribal community, interacted with the local villagers and encouraged them to take up livestock activities as a means of livelihood which can increase the availability of meat, milk & eggs in the Island as well as can become a source of income for their households.
During the camp, farm inputs such as table eggs and chicks for backyard poultry were distributed to the villagers. Azolla Fern, which acts as a nutritional feed supplement for animals, were also distributed. These resources are vital for promoting sustainable farming practices and improving the quality of life for the residents.
The camp at Afra Bay was part of the Department’s commitment to reach out to the remote corners of the Territory to provide Animal Health Care and encourage livestock activities as a source of livelihood.

 

Port Blair, Nov 24: The Directorate of RD, PRIs & ULBs, A&N Administration has been implementing Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in A&N Islands with the aims to strengthen the capacities of institutions for rural local governance, making them more responsive to local development needs. This initiative seeks to develop and strengthen the Panchayati Raj System across the rural areas of this UT through various necessary capacity building programmes.
With the vision to strengthen the PRI system of the Gram Panchayats under Panchayat Samiti Prothrapur, the Block Development Office, C.D. Block Prothrapur has organized a capacity building programmes on ‘Strategic Development and New Initiatives Towards a Self-Sufficient Village’ recently at the Panchayat Samiti Office, Prothrapur for the PRI members as well as Panchayat and Block Level functionaries attached with Gram Panchayats. The programme aimed to equip these stakeholders of Gram Pancahayts with the knowledge and tools required for strategic village development and to align local governance with achieving the LSDGs (Local Sustainable Development Goals).
The BDO Prothrapur addressed the gathering and emphasized the importance of self-sufficiency in rural areas and highlighted the role of thematic GPDP in fostering sustainable development. The Domain Expert (Rural Development), Ms. C. Vijiya, made presentation on the key aspects of Sustainable Development of Gram Panchayats and presented a case study of a self-sufficient village in Telangana, showcasing strategic development initiatives and innovations in rural governance.
Smt. Mini Varghese, Assistant Engineer (PRIs), provided technical insights regarding selection, prioritization and methodology for execution of works so that proper planning could be done for attaining strategic development in Gram Panchayats. Smti. Jyothi, Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Sippighat, shared her on-ground experiences and stressed upon the collaborative efforts of all Departments in driving sustainable Panchayat development.

 

Port Blair, Nov 24: Malnutrition among children is being considered as a serious health issue and in a concerted effort to tackle malnutrition, the District Administration has taken several steps to combat malnutrition by distributing POSHAN kits to malnourished children. These kits were carefully designed to meet the nutritional needs of the malnourished children containing essential food items such as ghee, soyabean, moong whole, groundnut and daliya which is rich in nutrients and will help children in developing immunity, enhances gut health and promote healthy weight gain.
On Nov. 22, during the Gram Sabha, POSHAN kits were distributed to children of Anganwadi Centres by Shri. Sujan Kumar Das, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat, Laxmipur which emphasizes the significance of nutrition and other factors which promote healthy weight gain and proper growth and development among children. In addition to that, weekly growth monitoring of malnourished children are conducted and if found malnourished, the children are being referred to the nearest Health Care Centres for immediate medical attention and care. The Anganwadi Workers along with the ASHA workers and ANMs are doing home visits to counsel the parents about dietary modifications, health and hygiene, environmental sanitation, immunization, etc. to reduce the incidences of malnourishment among children.

 

Port Blair, Nov 24: Vasectomy Fortnight comes at an opportune moment in the history of Family Planning in India, as the country has achieved replacement-level fertility and now needs to focus on increasing male participation in family planning. This year’s slogan is ‘Aaj Hi Shuruat Kare – Pati Patni Milkar Pariwar Niyojan Ki Baat Kare’ (Start Today – Husband and Wife Together Discuss Family Planning). The fortnight is being observed by the Directorate of Health Services, A&N Administration, in association with the Union Territory Health Mission, A&N Islands, along with the rest of the country from 21st November and will continue upto 4th December, 2024.
The Vasectomy Fortnight will be observed in two phases:
• Mobilization Phase (21st November to 27th November, 2024): This phase will focus on identifying, sensitizing, and registering interested couples for male contraception.
• Service Delivery Phase (28th November to 4th December, 2024): During this phase, facilities providing male sterilization services and contraceptive distribution will be active.
During Vasectomy Fortnight, all health institutions will conduct activities aimed at enhancing male participation in family planning, addressing myths surrounding vasectomy, and promoting male contraceptive methods such as male sterilization and condom usage. Family Planning remains a key policy priority of the Government of India. Despite significant progress, women continue to bear the primary responsibility for family planning.
The general public have been urged to actively participate and support the activities conducted by the Health Department during Vasectomy Fortnight to promote male involvement in family planning.

Port Blair, Nov 24: The valedictory function of the 7th Naturopathy Day was organized by the AYUSH Wing of DHS, A & N State AYUSH Society (NAM) in the Conference Hall of AYUSH Hospital, Junglighat on Nov. 18. The theme of Naturopathy Day for this year was ‘Naturopathy for Healthy Aging and Longevity’ which underscores the vital role of natural therapies in enhancing quality of life and promoting sustainable wellness throughout the aging process.
Dr. Shiny Varghese, Principal, School of Nursing & Nodal Officer (NCD) was the chief guest on the occasion. Earlier, Dr. Manabika Dutta, MO (I/c) (Homoeo) welcomed the gathering. A power point presentation on Naturopathy and its healing benefits was presented by Dr. Nandini, MO (Yoga & Naturopathy).
A recipe competition was conducted on the theme ‘Cooking without Fire among the students of various colleges (i.e. DBRAIT, ITI, School of Nursing and Andaman Law College) across the city. The team comprising of Nimai Mondal & Akash Mondal of DBRAIT bagged the first prize while the team of Priyanka Saha & Satyajit Halder from Andaman Law College won the second prize and the team of Nehalata Das & Sumit Ram, School of Nursing, secured the third prize. Shri. Mangal Bhagat, (Yoga Instructor) proposed the vote of thanks. The winners of the competition were awarded with cash prizes and certificates of appreciation.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 24: Communist Party of India (Marxist), Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee condole the sudden demise of Mr. Gupteshwar Lall, a retired employee of Government Press and resident of Dairy Farm on 22.11.2024. He was 64 years. He was the younger brother of Mr. Suresh Lall, Vice President, Government Pensioners Association, A & N Islands. CPI (M) conveys its heartfelt condolence to the family members of late Gupteshwar Lall.

Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 24: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr. Mansukh Mandaviya, unveiled the “Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue”, an initiative designed to inspire and engage youth in shaping India’s future. Announced during a press conference in the capital, the event aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of fostering youth participation in nation-building.
Youth aged 15-29 years are invited to register on MY Bharat (mybharat.gov.in) and participate in the Viksit Bharat Challenge, a four-stage competition culminating in an opportunity to present their ideas to the Prime Minister at the National Youth Festival 2025.
Competition Structure:
1. Round 1: Viksit Bharat Quiz
o A digital quiz testing awareness of India’s landmark achievements.
o Hosted on MY Bharat platform from 25th November to 5th December 2024.
2. Round 2: Essay/Blog Writing
o Participants submit essays on identified themes, such as Tech for Viksit Bharat and Empowering Youth for Viksit Bharat.
3. Round 3: Viksit Bharat Vision Pitch Deck – State-Level Presentations
o State-level competitions to select theme-based teams for national-level participation.
4. Round 4: Viksit Bharat National Championship at Bharat Mandapam
o Finalists compete at the National Youth Festival on 11th-12th January 2025 in New Delhi.
o Winning teams will present their vision for Viksit Bharat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A Call to Action for Youth
Educational institutions are encouraged to motivate students to register and participate in this transformative opportunity. All competition details are available on the MY Bharat platform.
The initiative promises a platform for young minds to showcase their creativity, innovation, and vision, contributing to India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation.