Serendipity : Musings of an Islander

Are we waiting for the Jarawas to re-invent the wheel? Debkumar Bhadra   |          Musings of an Islander                   |          South Andaman The Andaman & Nicobar Islands which made headlines after the 2004 Great Sumatra Andaman Earthquake is once again featured in the national as well as international media following release of a video clip featuring Andaman’s Jarawa tribe by a section of British media. Immediately other y other NGO’s, media houses, activists and their likes switched to campaign mode releasing reports, reviews, comments, commentaries and updates almost on a day-to-day basis, many of which are drifted miles away from truth. What it emerges out of the campaign launched by some NGO’s at the internat...

Implementation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) for motor vehicles in India could be traced to the Hon’ble Supreme Court order wherein the Secretary, Transport and the Commissioner, State Transport Authority of the State of Haryana had been held guilty of willful disobedience/non-compliance of court orders particularly the orders dated 30th November 2004, 7th April 2011 and 30th August 2011. Having found guilty the court punished the erring officials to pay fines and in default, undergo simple imprisonment for 15 days; Exemplary cost was also imposed on the particular State. The apex court further set 31st March, 2012 as the deadline to implement the scheme, pan-India. Consequently the RTO/Directorate of Transport, A&N Administration had drawn up a detailed schedule according to which fixing of HSRP started on 11th Jan and would be completed by 30th March ie., a day before actual expiry of the deadline set by the hon’ble apex court. A look at the schedule issued by ...

CONFUSION, CLASH OF INDIVIDUAL EGO MAR 2012 REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATION AT RANGAT GROUND The 63rd Republic Day celebration at Rangat had been under the cloud of confusion, which later took the shape of “an ego clash” over who would hoist the national flag at the official function at Rangat ground - the Adhyaksh N&M Andamans (Congress candidate) or the Pramukh Rangat (BJP candidate). As per the prevailing practice Pramukh, Rangat Samiti had been hoisting national flag at the official function at Rangat ground. But this time, it was speculated that Adyaksh N&M Andamans would take the honour. The speculation turned out to be true as the Adhyaksh N&M Andamans emerged on the dais and hoisted the flag at the Rangat ground on the appointed day. Thus shattered the honor and privilege, bestowed upon the Pramukh Rangat samity 16 year ago when PRI system was implemented (1995). The dejected BJP functionaries surprisingly kept their nerves under control and watched the pr...