Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 16 June 2021
Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, State Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Mr. D Jayaraman, State Vice President, Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee have demanded ship to transport stranded Islanders of Campbell Bay back to their homes.
Both the leaders have written letters to the Secretary (Shipping), Andaman and Nicobar Administration and explained to him the problems being faced by the residents of Campbell Bay who are stranded in South Andaman District.
The last ship to Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar sailed in the first week of May 2021 and ever since then the residents of Great Nicobar are stuck in South Andaman. These residents of Great Nicobar stuck in South Andaman are facing problems in even finding accommodations for themselves. Some of them are on mercy of their relatives and friends and don’t want to become a burden on them for too long.
Nicobar Times has also received several calls from the stranded residents of Great Nicobar who pleaded with us to do something for them.
Andaman and Nicobar Administration should consider the plight of these stranded residents of Great Nicobar and consider to schedule sailing of a ship for them to reach their homes.
The primary rational behind restricting the shipping services is keeping the Islanders of remote Islands safe from the clutches of COVID-19. Proper quarantine rules are in place, in Islands of Nicobar District and further the Administration should also consider testing the incoming passengers before de-quarantining them and their families after the home isolation period, to make sure they are not infected.
Nicobar District has not reported any COVID-19 cases in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and precautions are necessary to maintain the COVID free status. It is also important that the residents are allowed to travel back to their homes so that they can unite with their families and stay comfortably during this time when restrictions are in place everywhere to control the spread of COVID-19.
A favourable decision in the interest of the stranded Islanders should be taken by the Administration with all precautions, so that both the safety of the residents of remote Islands as well as the problems being faced by the stranded Islanders are addressed.