ANDAMAN SHEEKHA

The True Mirror of A & N Islands

Archives for March 1, 2023

APPOINTMENT OF GTTs and PSTs: Member of Parliament demands to safeguard 205 posts for OBC and 40 posts of ST out of a total of 539 posts for Island candidates

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Port Blair, Mar 01: Recently the Directorate of Education, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, vide its Vacancy Notice dated 23.02.2023 bearing reference no. 8-10(1447)/ Edn/CCB/2018-2019/ Vol-II/1143 has notified 295 vacancies of Graduate Trained Teacher (GTT) and 244 vacancies of Primary School Teacher (PST) to be filled on ‘Short Term Contract ‘ basis for a period from 01.07.2023 to 30.04.2024 or till such time regular appointments are made whichever is earlier.
In this regard now the Member of Parliament has written a letter to the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration and mentioned that on going through the Vacancy Notice it is found that for this Short Term Contract engagement no reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Schedule Tribes (ST) belonging to these Islands has been kept for all 539 vacancies of GTTs and PSTs taken together.
He pointed out that for selection it is prescribed that all Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) passed candidates are eligible to apply for the Short Term Contract engagement as per the educational and other qualifications prescribed for the post irrespective of their category ( i.e.OBC, ST & PH) and selection for the above mentioned engagement shall be made only on the basis of the academic weightage of marks as approved by the competent authority.
In this context the Member of Parliament referred Note 2 at Para 5, page no.3 of the instant Notice in conjunction with condition prescribed at Sl.No.17, page 6 of the instant Notice.
The Member of Parliament added that one of the major concerns of the youths of these Islands is growing unemployment and their demand is to fill all government vacancies which is about 10,000 from amongst the Islanders. The Vacancy Notice such as above will encourage more and more outsiders to apply for government employment in these Islands and grabbing away the job opportunity from the Islanders.
He added that in absence of Government notification for 100% job reservations for the Islanders, it is found that the percentage of jobseekers not belonging to Islands are increasing sharply.
“The need of the hour is to protect the interest of the Islanders atleast by adhering to the constitutional provisions for reservation in public appointment conferred to the OBC and ST of these Islands,” he added.
The Member of Parliament pointed out that the Government of India has notified 38% reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) and 7.5% reservation for the Schedule Tribes (ST) belonging to these Islands in respect of government/ public appointment under UT Administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Hence by application of notified reservation criteria for OBC & ST , atleast 205 posts for OBC and 40 posts of ST out of a total of 539 can be safeguarded from the applicants not belonging to these Islands.
He pointed out that the Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India vide it’s Office Memorandum 36036/3/2018-Estt.(Res.) dated 15.05.2018 has reiterated that temporary appointments which last for 45 days or more reservation for Schedule Caste/ Schedule Tribe/ OBC shall be made for appointment to Central Government posts and services.
“Andaman and Nicobar Administration being a Union Territory directly governed by the Central Government , all rules and regulations of the Central Government are followed in totality, hence the above cited Office Memorandum becomes applicable to the posts of Andaman and Nicobar Administration and also the reservation criteria laid down for government/ public appointment in respect of posts and services of Andaman and Nicobar Administration,” he mentioned.
In view of the above the Member of Parliament requested the Chief Secretary to look into the matter and consider making applicable the direction of Government of India for reservation in temporary appointment in respect of the above referred Short Term Contract appointment of Graduate Trained Teacher and Primary School Teacher in the Directorate of Education, Andaman and Nicobar Administration as the instant contract appointment though being for short term is definitely going to last for more than 45 days.

 

Apollo Spectra Hospitals (a unit of Apollo Health & Lifestyle Ltd) and New Life Diagnostic Port Blair Pvt Ltd setting up a Multi-Speciality Hospital in Port Blair

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Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands based New Life Diagnostic Port Blair Pvt Ltd, part of a well-diversified conglomerate with an impressive footprint in Primary Healthcare and Hospitality, has embarked on its journey into the Healthcare segment, foraying into the sector after partnering with Apollo Spectra Hospitals, a unit of Apollo Health & Lifestyle Limited.
The hospital will be built in South Andaman District, which is centrally located in Port Blair. This partnership will help the citizens of Port Blair and other parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with top-notch healthcare services, best-in-class treatments, doctors’ expertise, state-of-the-art infrastructure, modern equipment, and most importantly, the trust and legacy of Apollo group. Apollo Spectra Hospital is one of the pioneers in the Ambulatory Care space with a footprint of more than 20 multispecialty hospitals, 2500+ doctors across 12 cities namely Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gurugram, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kanpur, Mumbai, Noida, Patna and Pune. It has one of the largest network of surgical super specialists in short-stay procedures and has undertaken over 2,50,000 surgeries with excellent clinical outcomes.
The multi-speciality hospital brings together renowned medical services and globally acceptable healthcare management practices, to offer patients expert, quality healthcare with approachability and easy accessibility. Specialists across Bariatrics, Orthopaedics & Spine, Cosmetic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Physiotherapy etc. are available. Other specialities like General & Laparoscopic Surgery, ENT, Urology, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Gastroenterology, Pain Management and General Medicine are also offered.
The partnership between the two giants in their respective sectors will be a boon for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is now working towards improving proper infrastructure in terms of healthcare and medical facilities.
The upcoming property will be spread over 40,000 square feet, with world class amenities, advanced technology, superior infrastructure and outstanding doctors who work together to provide personalized treatment that allows healthy recovery, contributing to changing the landscape of healthcare facilities in the city. New Life Diagnostic Port Blair Pvt Ltd, currently operates an Apollo Clinic (a unit of Apollo Health & Lifestyle Ltd) located in Port Blair. This association for setting up a super speciality hospital will be an additional booster to their commitment to provide a comprehensive best-in-class healthcare facility to the island population. New Life Diagnostic Port Blair Pvt Ltd, believes in the philosophy of customer satisfaction, and therefore the partnership plans to make healthcare more feasible, accessible and affordable to customers.
Mr. Chandra Sekhar C, Chief Executive Officer, Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited remarked, “In an endeavor to create a comprehensive network of world class healthcare facilities across various parts of India, Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited envisages on foraying into strategic partnerships with strong regional groups with an objective to bring healthcare closer to the patient, bridging the gap between tertiary care and home. We have been successful to establish the nation’s largest network for day-to-day healthcare that can be delivered outside large format hospital settings. We are happy that with this association and our continuous expansion plan, we would be creating newer and better ways to deliver high quality healthcare with a facility built-to-suit for addressing complex medical needs, through enhanced service delivery models, which will benefit the entire health eco-system including physicians & patients.

Editorial: Welfare of Government Employees in Andaman and Nicobar Islands Should be a Top Priority

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The efficient functioning of any government organization largely depends on the dedication and work ethic of its employees. The administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands must understand that the welfare of government employees must be a top priority if they want to get work done in a professional way. While the working conditions of government employees in the Islands are better than many parts of India, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed.

One of the major issues facing government employees in the Islands is the difficulty in obtaining leave. The process of getting Earned Leave (EL), Casual Leave (CL), and Child Care Leave (CCL) has been made so difficult that employees often get discouraged and do not even apply. The employees also face harassment in obtaining basic rights such as obtaining even a No Objection Certificate for obtaining a passport. These issues need to be addressed to create a more conducive working environment for government employees.

Additionally, there are several other issues that need to be addressed, such as the lack of government quarters and good hostel facilities. In case of being transferred to remote islands, there are hardly any ships available for the employees to visit their families during their leave entitlement.

One of the biggest problems faced by employees in all departments is transfer issues. The administration can solve this problem by making postings for all employees in Nicobar district and other hard-to-reach areas for only one year. This would help in solving half of the problems, as employees would no longer fear going to Nicobar, and there would be healthy rotation of employees.

To address these minor problems, there should be a grievance cell for government employees. Happy employees would result in a happy administration, and this would help in improving the overall efficiency of the government organizations in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The welfare of government employees should be given top priority. By doing so, the administration can create an environment of trust, mutual respect, and motivation. This would result in a more productive workforce, which in turn would lead to a more efficient and effective government.

 

Action against Illicit Liquor, Handia & Illicit IMFL by N&MA District Police Continues

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Port Blair, Mar 01: Continuing its crackdown on the illicit liquor, Handia, & illegal sale of IMFL, the District Police of North & Middle Andaman with the help of local informers conducted regular raids and searches in jungles. During the month of February-2023, the teams of various Police Stations, headed by SHOs and Sub-Inspectors conducted raids & massive jungle search operations. In these search operations, around 700 litres of Lehan, 40 Kg Handia & 09 litres of illicit liquor was destroyed and also 240 Nos. IMFL bottles of different quantities have been seized under Excise Regulation. All the History Sheeters are regularly being checked by the beat staff, making it hard for them to be involved in any illegal activity and a fresh history sheet of bootleggers has opened for surveillance.
The general public is requested to pass and share any credible information pertaining to any crime or illegal activities to their nearest Police Station or over phone No.100, 112 & 03192-273344. The identity of the informers will be kept secret and will also be suitably rewarded

Stringent Action against Bootleggers and Drug Peddlers by South Andaman District Police

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Port Blair, Mar 01: In continuation to the intensive drive, the Police teams of South Andaman District Police are continuously making all possible efforts to curb the menace of illegal sale of illicit liquor and contraband drugs in their concerned jurisdictions. All the history sheeters are being continuously monitored and raids are being conducted.
During the months of January and February, 2023, a total of 85 Excise cases and 02 NDPS cases were registered in different Police Stations of South Andaman District. A total of 1657 Nos IMFL bottles, 188 Kgs of Handia, 09 Liters of illicit liquor, 4.483 Kgs of Ganja and 03 grams of Methamphetamine were seized. 85 persons were arrested for illegal sale of liquor and 02 persons were arrested for selling contraband drugs. Also, regular jungle searches are being conducted and 355 liters of lehan were recovered and destroyed.
The South Andaman District Police is taking all possible steps to make this district free from bootlegging, drug peddling and other anti-social activities and keeping strict vigil over bootleggers and drug peddlers. General Public is requested to pass on credible information on narcotics, illegal sale of liquor, gambling or any other illegal activity on the telephone numbers: 100,112 and 03192-233077. The identity of the informer will be kept secret.

SP Office initiating online classes for competitive exams for the aspirants of North and Middle Andaman

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Port Blair, Mar 01: Ms. Geetanjali Khandelwal, IPS, Superintendent of Police, North & Middle Andaman District, is committed to community service and employment generation through constructive and positive medium.
District police are proud to announce the launch of “ Operation Endeavour Education”, an initiative being guided and mentored by National level educational experts (New Delhi), who will provide pragmatic guidance and curriculum for preparation of various competitive exams viz., SSC- (CHSL, CGL), and local administration exams etc. This program is driven by skills, pedagogy and tools of 21st century. The unique point is to provide platform and opportunity to students to showcase their talents, knowledge and skills, and enhance their performance in quizzes, debates, locution and more. This program is open for all college students (Boys & Girls) of the district.

The district police believe that education is key to building a prosperous and harmonious community. The competitive class program is an initiative that aligns with the organization’s commitment to community service and youth empowerment. The online classes are scheduled to begin from 01.03.2023. Interested students can register by contacting their colleges or they can directly email at spnm.and@nic.in.
Dr.Prabhuram, Principal Mahatma Gandhi Govt. College Mayabunder welcomed and appreciated SP N&MA for taking such an initiative for the students of the college who are from remote areas of these Islands. He encouraged the students to avail this opportunity for their better carrier and success.
Ms. Geetanjali Khandelwal, IPS, Superintendent of Police, North & Middle Andaman looks forward to the success of this program and encourages all college students to participate actively. Together, we can continue to promote education and build a better tomorrow for the North and Middle Andaman district.

Cyclathon (Women Cycle Rally) on the occasion of World Women’s Day

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Port Blair, Mar 01: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are accounting for more than 63% death in the country due to socio-economic determinants and its impacts. Most NCDs are strongly associated and causally linked with major behavior risk factors such as tobacco use (smoking & smokeless), alcohol use, poor dietary habits, and insufficient physical activity and air pollution.
In order to promote the physical and mental wellbeing and environment friendly conveyance, the District Administration through its District Health Society, South Andaman is organizing a Cyclathon (Women Cycle Rally) on the occasion of World Women’s Day with the theme of “Healthy Women, Healthy India” on 06.03.2023 starting at 07.00 AM from the office of the Deputy Commissioner (SA) and culminate at Flag Point, Port Blair.
Interested women are requested to participate in the above event with their cycle by registering themselves in the web link of the District Administration, South Andaman @ http://db.and.nic.in/womencycling/ on or before 05.05.2023.

CPI (M) Conducts Public Meeting at Ferrargunj

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Port Blair, Mar 01: CPI (M) South Andaman Rural Area Committee has conducted corner meetings at various parts of rural South Andaman and a public meeting at Ferrargunj junction on 28.02.2023. Addressing the public meeting at Ferrargunj junction D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) A & N State Organizing Committee expressed concern over the increasing drugs availability in the islands and the inability of the authorities concerned to contain it despite the media in the islands exposing it. Drugs are brought to the islands by anti-social elements in a systematic manner for distribution among the people, especially among the younger generation. He asked the Police Department to take effective steps to ensure that smuggling, distribution and use of drugs in these islands are completely stopped. He also demanded to investigate properly about the involvement of all persons in this illegal activity. He criticized the BJP-led government at the center and it’s Administration in the islands for the growing unemployment in the islands.
Addressing the public meeting, Dr Gouranga Majhi, Secretary, CPI (M) South Andaman Rural Area Committee elaborately explained the various anti-farmer policies being pursued by the central government in the country. He said that farmers in these islands are also facing various problems due to the wrong policies of the government. Farmers are denied various benefits during the last 9 years of BJP rule.
Mr. SP Kalairajan, CPI (M) State Committee Member, blamed the central government and A & N Administration for denying the legitimate benefits of the workers working in various departments under the Administration. Mr. NKP Nair, Member Port Blair Area Committee also addressed public meetings and briefly explained the harassment being meted out to government employees and workers in the islands during the BJP rule.
Mr. S. Chidambaram, CPI (M) South Andaman Rural Area Committee Member and former Panchayat Member presided over the meeting.

Disaster Management Issues Landslide Safety Measures For ANI

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Port Blair, Mar 01: In the recent past, Landslides occurred in some parts of ANI due to underground water pressure, rainfall in monsoon sessions, earthquake, human intrusion etc. which caused damaged infrastructures, blockage of roads, and loss of properties & environment of ANI. Considering the above, the residents of this UT are required to be aware of landslide precautions and its mitigation measures.
To safeguard against such disaster, Dr. Nitin Shakya, Director (Disaster Management), A&N Administration requested the residents of ANI to follow do’s and don’ts during landslides to save themselves and properties.
Assess the soil before constructing home or taking any property in a landslide-prone or hilly area. Make buildings away from the steep slopes, edge of mountains, drainage ways, or natural erosion valleys. Build embankments on the gradient slopes. Build retaining walls. Fit flexible gas pipes to avoid leakage.
If people stay in a landslide-prone area, then try to evacuate the place as early as possible. Be aware of unusual cracking or rolling of huge stones. Keep a watch on the water in the stream or channel. Stay out of the path of debris or landslides. Keep watch on the road for mud blocks or debris overflow.
Don’t drive during the landslide. Don’t cross any stream or flooding river. Try to adhere to instructions given by the Government and do not ignore those. Do not ignore damp areas or any mark of cracks on roads and buildings. Evacuate the landslide susceptible place as early as possible. Carry necessary documents with you. Carry emergency medicine kit, dry food, and drinking water etc.

National Science Day by Department of Science and Technology

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Port Blair, Mar 01: The Department of Science and Technology, A&N Administration celebrated National Science Day yesterday. To mark the occasion, the Department organized a weeklong online painting competition from Feb.17 to 24, 2023 on the theme ‘Global Science for Global Wellbeing’ for all the college students of A&N Islands. The Department also conducted a seminar competition on the same theme at TGCE Auditorium for the college students.
The Secretary (S&T), Shri Aman Gupta, IAS, graced the occasion as the chief guest and enlightened the students about the discovery of Raman Effect by an Indian Physicist, Sir C.V Raman. Thereafter, prizes were distributed to the winners of online painting competition and Seminar competition.
Shri Abhishek Bhukal, Director (S&T) briefed about the Departmental activities of Science and Technology Department including the Young Scientist Fellowship and Woman Scientist Fellowship schemes. He urged the students to utilize these centrally funded schemes for research and development projects.
About 55 students participated in the online painting competition while 11 students from 7 Colleges participated in the Seminar which was attended by 150 students. In the online painting competition, Megha Das of TGCE won the 1st prize, K. Lavaniya of ANCOL bagged the 2nd prize, Tarun of Govt. ITI, Car Nicobar won the 3rd prize. In the Seminar competition, Farheen of JNRM won the 1st prize, Akash Halder of ANCOL won the 2nd prize and Dipanjali Sarkar bagged the 3rd prize.