Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 1 November 2021
On 20th October 2021 a press release was published in ‘The Daily Telegrams’ with the title ‘Department of CS&CA providing services related to Aadhaar enrolment/update at designated centres’. The Press Release had a list of designated Aadhaar centres annexed with it and one of those designated Aadhaar Centres was Block Resource Centre, Campbell Bay.
Nicobar Times visited BRC, Campbell Bay on 29th of October 2021 (Friday) to enquire about the Aadhaar update and enrolment services and found out that the staff had no knowledge that the centre has been designated as a permanent Aadhaar Centre.
The staff informed that equipment related to Aadhaar enrolment/update is available at the centre, but they have strict instructions from the higher authorities, that only enrolment and update services for Aadhaar is to be provided to the school students and not to the general public.
The staff further informed that the qualified personnel for the Aadhaar update/enrolment is on leave and at present, no one can provide the services.
Nicobar Times also met the Principal, GSSS Campbell Bay, who also had no knowledge of BRC, Campbell Bay being designated as permanent Aadhaar centre and assured to check it with the higher authorities of the Department of Education.
The Principal informed that the Block Resource Person is the only qualified personnel for the enrolment/update of Aadhaar and the same person has other duties to perform. She added that if the enrolment/update for the general public has to be done at the centre, then a permanent staff with only Aadhaar related duties has to be posted.
The residents of Campbell Bay currently have to travel to Port Blair to get their Aadhaar updated or wait for a temporary Aadhaar enrolment/update camp to be organised by the Department of CS&CA.
If any centre is designated as a permanent Aadhaar centre then the staff should also be made aware of it.
The designated permanent Aadhaar centre at Campbell Bay should be made operational as soon as possible for the convenience of the general public.