The Mini India

TMI Bureau Port Blair, Aug 14: Since gaining independence in 1947, India has undergone remarkable transformations, but the journey toward complete freedom remains ongoing for its people. Economic inequality is a major challenge, with significant portions of the population still living in poverty despite India's economic growth. The wealth gap has widened, and there is a need for more inclusive development to ensure that prosperity reaches all levels of society. Corruption continues to plague public institutions, eroding trust in governance and slowing down progress. Despite various anti-corruption measures, it remains a systemic issue that affects the delivery of public services and the equitable distribution of resources. Social injustice, particularly caste-based discrimination, gender inequality, and religious intolerance, also persists. These deep-rooted issues continue to divide communities and hinder social harmony, preventing true social equity. Environmental degradati...

TMI Correspondent Port Blair, Aug. 14: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a chain of over 500 islands located in the Bay of Bengal, hold immense strategic importance for India. Positioned at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, these islands are critical for India's maritime security and its influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The islands are situated close to the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest maritime trade routes globally, making them a strategic outpost for monitoring and safeguarding maritime traffic. The islands also serve as a crucial base for the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, enhancing India's ability to project power in the region and respond to any threats. However, the very qualities that make the Andaman and Nicobar Islands strategically significant also make them vulnerable to security threats. The islands' remote location and the vastness of the surrounding sea make it challenging to secure the entire territory against unautho...

  TMI Correspondent While the Andaman and Nicobar Police are often seen issuing challans and collecting fines from traffic violators, there appears to be a lack of effective education and deterrence for young drivers. The recent incident involving Smti. Leela, a Home Guard posted under PS Chatham, highlights this issue tragically. On July 31, 2024, while on duty at Seashore Road, Haddo, Smti. Leela attempted to stop a moped driven by minors. The juveniles initially ignored her attempt to halt them. When they later returned, she made another effort to stop them. However, instead of complying, the juveniles deliberately struck Smti. Leela with their moped. The impact caused her to fall to the ground. She was immediately rushed to GB Pant Hospital, where she was admitted to the ICU due to the severity of her injuries. Despite the medical team's efforts, Smti. Leela succumbed to her injuries on August 6, 2024. This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated wi...

Port Blair, Aug. 07: Residents of Delanipur have raised serious concerns regarding the conduct of a pharmacist attached to the Urban Health Center (UHC) in Delanipur, Port Blair. According to complaints, the pharmacist has been neglecting their duties and displaying inappropriate behavior towards patients. Recently, it was reported that a patient visiting the UHC encountered rude and unprofessional behavior from the pharmacist. The pharmacist allegedly acted arrogantly and failed to respond to the patient's needs properly, giving the impression that the medications were being provided at the pharmacist's personal expense. There have also been complaints that the pharmacist has refused to dispense essential medications, such as insulin, despite doctors' prescriptions. Moreover, it has been observed that the pharmacist often delegates the task of distributing medicines to a ward attendant, rather than performing this duty personally. This ward attendant is reportedly know...

TMI Bureau Port Blair, July 31: Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament, has raised several concerns regarding the alleged irresponsible approach of Lieutenant Governor Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi towards the development, maintenance, and repair of shipping ports in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ray highlighted the non-existence of proper tug boats and cranes at wharfs as a significant issue. Furthermore, many areas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continue to face electricity and water supply crises, which Ray claims are being neglected by the Lieutenant Governor. Of the 2024-25 budget allocation of approximately Rs.5866 crores sanctioned by the Government of India for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Rs.5399 crores are reportedly planned to be spent on salaries, leaving only Rs.467 crores for overall infrastructure development. This includes roads, footpaths, and expenses for various departments such as health, fisheries, and agriculture. Ray suggests that this long-stan...

TMI Correspondent Port Blair, July 10: On the first day of the protest, on 07/07/2024, about 200 people gathered in front of the office of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), led by Mr. Hemaraju, General Secretary of the Fishermen Welfare Association, Mr. Maheshwar Rao from BJP Yuva Morcha, PBMC Councillors Mr. Someshwar Rao, Mr. Padmanabam, Mr. Joga Rao, Mr. Sahul Hameed, and others, including Dr. Arun Mallick, Mr. Satyanarayana, Mrs. Mohini, and others. They put forth some demands before the Director (Health) and Director (ANIIMS), such as details of inoculation given to the deceased V. Vimala, a post-mortem to be done by specialist doctors of Health Services, Defence/Dhanwantri Doctors under video surveillance with full transparency, and compensation on security grounds for the one-and-a-half-year-old child of the late V. Vimala. The management agreed and looked forward to constituting a committee accordingly. On the second day of the protest, on 08/07/2024, in the morning...

TMI Correspondent Port Blair, July 03: Due to the non-lifting of garbage for the past month from various municipal wards in Port Blair City, despite readily available segregated waste, several councillors, dissatisfied with responses from the junior engineers of their localities, visited the Brookshabad garbage dumping yard to investigate the issue. On 29/06/2024 Sr. Vice Chairperson, Ravichandran, Ward Councillor Someshwar Rao, and others inspected the site and observed a large number of plastic bottles covering approximately 150 square meters, with a thickness of one to two meters. This situation violates the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines. During the inspection, they received a call from the Superintending Engineer of PBMC, Avinash Kumar Singh, who allegedly threatened them, questioning their permission to enter the site and accusing them of seeking a commission. He is also reported to have used abusive and vulgar language towards all councillors of the 24 wards. War...

Port Blair, July 03: In a major stride towards commencing night operations of civil flights at Port Blair, an Air India Airbus A321 with 68 passengers onboard landed at the defence airfield INS Utkrosh of Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) at 1900h on 28 Jun 24. The aircraft then proceeded to Veer Savarkar International Terminal to disembark passengers. This successful night landing marks a significant step towards enhancing air connectivity to ANI, benefiting islanders and boosting tourism. This landmark event was made possible through consistent efforts by the Indian Navy, ANC and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) over the past few years. The airfield has undergone major upgrades, including navigational aids and has achieved the status of a precision airfield. Other crucial work, such as runway resurfacing and a Precision Lighting System with approach lights have also been completed. Meanwhile, AAI upgraded the Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT-I and created a modern Veer...

TMI Correspondent Port Blair, June 26: In observance of the "International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking" and following the directives of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Mohanlal vs. Union of India and the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Rules (Seizure, Storage, Sampling, and Disposal), 2022, a mass drug disposal event for multiple case properties from various police stations was initiated at 1130 hrs on 26/06/2024 by the CID Unit under the supervision of the Drug Disposal Committee chaired by Smti. Varsha Sharma, IPS, DIGP (L&O). The committee members included Shri Rajeev Ranjan, IPS, SP(CID), Shri. Mohd.IrshadHaider, IPS, SP(HQ) andShri. Kumar Abhishek, DANIPS, Dy.SP (CID) along with representatives from the A&N Pollution Control Board, Enviro Check (for measuring emitted pollutants), and GB Pant Hospital. A total of 61 case properties is being destroyed, comprising 238.416 kg of Methamphetamine, 67.636 kg of Ganja, 1.060 kg ...

TMI Correspondent Port Blair, June 19: The Dairy Farm Junction has become more congested recently, possibly due to the brick arrangements that may be laid on a test basis for the forthcoming development or beautification of the junction. Road users at Dairy Farm Junction have expressed great concern about the increased congestion. The space left for vehicle movement is minimal, causing difficulties for heavy vehicles passing through the junction. Developing and beautifying the junction is a good idea, and it is also necessary to construct dividers for safety. However, it should be kept in mind that schools are currently closed and will reopen in the first week of July, leading to a threefold increase in traffic. Additionally, airport passengers use the same road, which will further exacerbate traffic jams. They opined that the newly marked dividing portion on the road should be shortened to maintain the road's width. The dividers should also be constructed suitably according to...