Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 25th April 2022
The residents of Campbell Bay are suffering on all fronts. Petrol has gone out of stock at the Island from the last four days, LPG is not available from a long time, and people have to bear three-hour-long power cuts every day because the Electricity Department doesn’t have enough diesel. In addition to all these problems, there is a dearth of essential provisions like cooking oil, wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar etc. in the open market.
The cause of all problems is the non-availability of cargo ships to service the Island at regular intervals. For the last few months, the service of the private cargo ship operators to Great Nicobar has not been regular. The non-availability of cargo vessels to transport commodities like petrol, diesel, LPG and other provisions has made life difficult for the Islanders.
The dearth of provisions like cooking oil, wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar etc. has only added to the problems of the residents.
It is surprising that even in such a situation all the elected representatives of Great Nicobar are silent.
The Local Administration also seems to be doing nothing like always and is waiting for the general public to lose their patience and hit the roads.
This is not the first time that petrol has gone out of stock at Campbell Bay. In the last three months, the petrol has gone out of stock at Campbell Bay three times.
With no immediate relief in sight, the residents are only hoping that their elected representatives wake from their deep slumber and do something about the plethora of problems being faced by them.