Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 30 July 2025
Mr. Angshuman Roy, the State Youth President of Hindu Rashtra Shakti, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has raised a serious concern regarding the continued unavailability of mortuary van services under the Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council (SVPMC), calling it a matter of grave public distress and administrative neglect.
In a letter addressed to key authorities including the Hon’ble Home Minister of India, the Member of Parliament (LS) for Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, the Chief Secretary of A&N Administration, and senior officials of the district and municipal administration, Roy highlighted the severe emotional and financial hardship faced by bereaved families—particularly those from North and Middle Andaman—due to the absence of functional mortuary vans for over one and a half months.
Sri Vijaya Puram, being the capital and central hub for medical and administrative services, caters to residents from scattered islands. In such a geographically challenging region, Roy pointed out that the non-availability of mortuary vans has forced grieving families to either leave the bodies of their deceased unattended or arrange for private transportation at exorbitant costs.
“This neglect is inhumane and unacceptable,” Roy stated, expressing disappointment over what he described as “administrative apathy” and “a serious lapse in governance and accountability.”
Calling for urgent intervention, Roy demanded:
1. Immediate restoration of at least one functional mortuary van under SVPMC.
2. An audit of vehicle maintenance along with a clear repair or replacement timeline.
3. Long-term planning and budgeting to prevent such essential service disruptions in the future.
He also urged the administration to ensure smooth and respectful transportation of deceased individuals to their native islands through mortuary vans or ferry services, without unnecessary delays or bureaucratic hurdles.
Concluding the letter, Roy appealed to the authorities to treat the matter with the “urgency, sensitivity, and humanity it demands.”
