Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 07 Apr 2021
The residents of Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar Island are facing a lot of difficulties because of non-availability of ships since the last fifteen days. Helpless residents gathered near Assistant Commissioner’s Office Campbell Bay today to demand for the immediate sailing of a passenger vessel to Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar.
The members of Bharatiya Janata Party supported the residents and staged a dharna in-front of Assistant Commissioner’s Office, Campbell Bay.
The members of the general public as well as BJP leaders demanded that a ship be sailed from Port Blair to Campbell Bay immediately and to ensure that regular ship sailings are scheduled for Campbell Bay.
Sanjay Kumar Singh, State Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Party immediately sent a letter to the Chief Secretary and other senior officials of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration with the demand for regular ship sailings for Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar.
Sanjay Kumar Singh in his letter had mentioned the problems being faced by the residents of the remote Great Nicobar Island because of non-availability of ship since the last 15 days. He explained that there are hundreds of residents who have booked their flight tickets and they need to reach Port Blair to continue with their onward journey. He further explained the problems of teachers who have been transferred to their new place of posting but cannot travel because of non-availability of ships.
Sanjay Kumar Singh further spoke to several authorities and later informed the protesters that a ship is scheduled for Campbell Bay from Port Blair on 11th of April 2021. The protests were called off after the intimation of the ship schedule by the BJP Vice President.
A team of BJP leaders also met the Assistant Commissioner of Campbell Bay and requested him to prioritise the issue of ship tickets to the needy. Further the Assistant Commissioner was also requested to streamline the process issuing cabin class ship tickets and several suggestions were also given to him.
Sanjay Kumar Singh further informed the protestors that the Director of Shipping Services has informed him that as soon as the vessel M.V Coral Queen returns back to Port Blair after the sailing from Campbell Bay, the ship will again be sent for another consequent sailing to mitigate the backlog log of travellers from the remote Island.