Port Blair, Jan 03: All India Radio Port Blair will broadcast an interview with renowned businessman Mr. Mohd. H.Jadwet along with few songs of his choice, on5th January 2012. Interviewer is P.S.Saighal. The programme will be broadcast in its Yuvvani programme at7.15pm.
Power break
Port Blair, Jan 04: The power supply will remain suspended at few areas viz. Kamaraj Nagar, Beodnabad, Rangachang, Burmanallah, Kodiyaghat and Chidiyatapu at 0800 hrs to 1400 hrs on Jan 5 to 7, 2012 in connection with erection of poles, stringing of 11 KV ABC and fixing of ABS for converting the existing 11 KV overhead line into Aerial Bunch Cable (ABC) by M/s. PGCIL.
Meanwhile, the power supply will also remain suspended at few areas viz. Prothrapur, Bird Line, Calicut, Kamaraj Nagar, Beodnabad, Rangachang, Burmanallah, Kodiyaghat and Chidiyatapu from 0800 hrs to 1400 hrs from Jan 9 to 12, 2012 in connection with erection of poles, stringing of 11 KV ABC and fixing of ABS for converting the existing 11 KV overhead line into Aerial Bunch Cable (ABC) by M/s. PGCIL.
New Officer Takes Over Charge as Head of Press Information Bureau
Port Blair, Jan 04: The Indian Information Service( IIS) officer, A Dhanasekaran, presently serving as News Editor, All India Radio, Port Blair has assumed charge as Assistant Director ( Media and Communication) of Press Information Bureau at Port Blair.
Prior to his posting in Andaman and Nicobar islands, he served in Central Board of Film Certification in Thiruvanantapuram, Bangalore and Chennai regions. While serving as Addnl Regional officer of the Censor Board at Thiruvanantapuram , he took essential steps to make the film certificatrion system highly transparent, prompt and more effective. At the instance of the then Censor Board Chairman and noted film maker Vijay Anand, he formed an Experts committee to review the Cinematograph Act, 1952 in the light of the acts followed by different countries including Australia, New Zealand and Germany, which submitted its controversial report to the Government recommending for legalizing the X rated films in the country under the new classification of MA( Matured Audience). Although, the recommendations of the committee were well acclaimed by the entire media and film fraternity of the country, the BJP led government at the centre did not accept the recommendation on moral grounds. In protest against the conservative approach of the government, Vijay Anand resigned from the Board.
During his tenure in Censor Boards in Bangalore and Chennai regions, he executed major raids in cinema theatres in different cities which were screening the films in violation of censorship provisions and booked the offenders under the Cinematograph act. He also faced strong criticism by the Kannada film industry when the Kannada film Kanti was refused certification by the board on the ground that promotes regionalism and advocates for the rights of sons of soil over other language people settled in Karnataka.
During his long stint as Field publicity officer in Tamilnadu region, he planned and executed many campaigns in different districts aimed at yielding fruitful results rather than creating mere awareness. Notably, in the Child labour abolition campaign in Vellore district, 29 bonded child labourers were released and enrolled in to special schools, which was well acclaimed by the media including leading national dailies like The Hindu.
He joined in All India Radio, Port Blair in the aftermath of Tsunami and has been serving as Correspondent and News Editor since 2005. He filed a number of in-depth stories on tsunami rehabilitation works across the islands, besides producing many innovative programmes for national broadcast including 100 years of Celluar jail and documentary on tourism in Post Tsunami period titled REVIVAL, besides a number of news features.
He also served in Print Media as the Editor of Defence weekly Journal Sainik Samachar, published by Ministry of Defence.
The media Head post at Press Information Bureau has been vacant for the last two years, following the retirement of the then officer, O N Jaiswal. The Islands lone MP, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray raised the issue in the parliament and also held talks with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to fill up the vacant posts of different media units at Port Blair.
During the recent meeting of the press delegation led by the MP with Ms. Neelam Kapoor, Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau in New Delhi, she informed that the Ministry has issued the order to fill up the vacant post of Asst Director in PIB, Port Blair to meet the information needs of the local people.
INDISCRIMINATE EARTH CUTTING CONTINUES IN SOUTH ANDAMAN
Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Jan 03: Earth cutting has become a one of the most profitable businesses in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, ever since the laws for quarry and crusher operation have been made strict by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. After Sippighat one can easily find indiscriminate earth cutting atleast in dozens of areas in South Andaman. These loose earth are mostly used by private parties to fill the tsunami inundated land so that those land could be sold to people as house sites.
Earlier also several media organisations have raised questions over such indiscriminate earth cutting which has not only become an eyesore but also damaging the ecology. In most of the case one can find that private contractors are cutting green hillocks on which there is still plantation and in some cases, naturally grown trees. One wonders how private parties are getting green signal from Administration.
Moreover, careless earth cutting work is also disrupting normal traffic in ATR as loose earth makes the ATR stretch after Sippighat and Dhanikhari muddy and slippery, which may cause accident at any time.
Five mega-festivals waiting for Islanders in 2012
Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Jan 03: 2012 may bring profound joy and extreme excitement for people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as all visiting tourists as if everything goes right Islanders of these remote Islands, will be able to witness five mega-festivals this year.
Firstly 2012 may see two Island Tourism Festivals as the Administration is seriously thinking to change the schedule of Island Tourism Festival from January to somewhere in the month of December. The decision is has been taken considering the fact that in the month of January students remain busy in studies and others remain already in festive mood due to January 26 Celebration.
“We are thinking to organise ITF in the month of December from now. So this year we may have two ITFs,” Mr Satish Mathur the Secretary of Islands’ Tourism Department told media person at Port Blair today.
He said that besides this the Administration will be organising three more festivals this year. Two of these will be Food Festival and Film Festival while about the third festival, which will be like ITF, things are yet not finalised.
“We will be organising another event like ITF this year but dates and details have no been finalized yet. May be it will be organised during monsoon season to promote Monsoon Tourism,” Mr. Mathur added.When asked whether the Administration will ever try to know what Islanders of these remote Islands actually want in mega-festivals like ITF the secretary said that opinions and suggestions regarding organising ITF can be sent to him (Secretary, Tourism) by January end 2012. The secretary also hinted to bring some Bollywood singers during the mega-festival, name of which is still not finalised.
So, ITF, ITF-2 and three other mega-festivals will surely keep Islanders and all visiting tourists busy this year.
Why Bishnu won’t attend ITF inaugural function??
Port Blair, Jan 03: The Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands today wrote a letter to the Secretary of Tourism and informed him that he won’t be able to attend the inaugural function of ITF as he is proceeding to New Delhi tomorrow.
“On 5th Jan the BJP MPs are going to submit memorandum to the Hon’ble President of India, in protest to the provisions made in the Lokpal draft, by the UPA Govt, hence It won’t be possible for me to attend the Inaugural function of ITF,” the MP said in his letter. However many believe that Buffer zone controversy and series of allegations relating to ATR Closure from the side of MP and the Administration could also be a reason behind this decision.
Furniture shop owner goes missing
Staff Reporter
Port Bair, Dec 03: A furniture shop owner of middle Point has gone missing since last 15 days, it is reported. According to reports the furniture shop owner used to sell designer furniture in Middle Point area of Port Blair city. It is believed that the owner of the furniture shop and his wife are untraceable since last 15 days, making those people worried, who had lend money to the shop owner. Police sources have confirmed that till now no one has lodged any FIR yet against the shop owner.
However, the neighbours of the missing shop owners informed that people from bank and others keep on coming in search of the person almost everyday, only to find locked doors. Even the shop at Middle Point remains locked and mobile phones unreachable.
Island Tourism Festival to open on Jan 5
Port Blair, Jan 03: The opening ceremony of the Island Tourism Festival 2012 will be held at the ITF Ground, VIP Road, Port Blair on 5th January 2012 at 1800 hours.
The Lt Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Bhopinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM will be the chief guest on the occasion. The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Shakti Sinha will preside and the Hon’ble MP, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray will grace the occasion as guest of honour.
BJP demands feasibility study for Bambooflat Bridge
Port Blair, Jan 03: Mr Mohan, The State President of BJP has requested the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration to direct the ALHW to conduct a feasibility study about construction of a bridge connecting Chatham and Bambooflat Islands.
The request came from the side of BJP after a letter was received by the Party from the Executive Engineer, ALHW on the issue of constructing a bridge connecting Chatham and Bambooflat wherein it was written that “It is pertinent to mention here that the above project if to be taken up shall be capital intensive and detailed feasibility studies need to be carried out. These studies can be taken up by ALHW after receipt of directions from the A&N Administration after a policy decision is made.”
Baby show at ITF Ground on Jan 10
Port Blair, Jan 03: During Island Tourism Festival 2012, Directorate of Health Services will be organizing a baby show at ITF Ground on Jan 10, 2012 at 3.00 pm onwards among the kids of different age groups viz 6 months to 1 year, 1 year to 3 years 3 years to 5 years.
The prize money for this competition will be Rs. 1500/-, Rs. 1000/- & Rs. 700/- for first second and third respectively for every age group. Interested parents may bring their kids for participation at 3.00 PM at ITF Ground on Jan 10 with immunization and antenatal cards if available, a communication from the Dy. Director (FW &HE) said here today.