Text of the letter dated 26-03-2020 written by Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Ex MP, A&N Islands


Text of the letter dated 26-03-2020 written by Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Ex MP, A&N Islands.

To
1.      The Hon’ble Prime Minister, GOI, New Delhi
         (through Shri Sanjay Bhavsar, PMO)
2.      The Hon’ble Home Minister, GOI, New Delhi
3.      Shri G. Kishen Reddy, Hon’ble MoS (Home), GOI
4.      The Hon’ble Lt. Governor, A & N Islands, Raj Niwas
5.      The Chief Secretary, A & N Administration, Port Blair
6.      Shri Ajoy Bairagi Ji, State President, A& N Islands

Sub: -   Immediate implementation of MHA’s Order No. 40-3/2020-D dated 24-03-2020 as Administration not implemented and all ration shops/grocery fruit & veg shops / pharmacies/POL outlets totally closed- even their supply chains have been locked down  - will create chaos/hunger death

Respected Sir

        I am bringing certain points relevant to the Island Territory of A &N Islands to your kind notice with the verbal permission of the State President, BJP A & N Islands , Shri Ajoy Bairagi.

2. The islanders are having bitter experience about distribution of food items and other essentials during tsunami and a number of complaints of foul play were raised. This also was raised by undersigned during UPA govt. in Parliament.

3. State Vice President, BJP, A & N Islands Shri Prakash Adhikari informed that vegetables are not being allowed to be transported from village of Guptapara, Manglutan etc to wholesale markets at Port Blair and important perishable produce will now rot and go waste.

4. State President, Yuva Morcha and Chairperson, PBMC Shri N.K. Uday Kumar and Shri K. Ramdas, State Gen Secy, BJP Islands informed that 20
-30 tonnes of Fish is lying in boats at Junglighat Jetty, which are not being allowed for transportation (even upto Cold Storage) and distribution . This will also go waste and Fisherman from Dairy Farm & Junglighat informed me that their dinghies had brought fishes but all had to be thrown into sea because of prevailing condition resulting in loss of Rs 1.00 Lakh per dinghie.

Some more complaints received throughout yesterday till today morning
are as follows:-

I.      Received Complaint from President, State Mahila Morcha Smt Shampa Banerjee
(a)     Milk supply by the poor farmers to houses/ hotels stopped.
(b)     Poultry Feeds not being allowed to be transported to farmers
(c)     One lady called Smt Pushpa, MSME / having fodder producing and
distribution to farmers now being closed.
In Macca Pahad having 10 Nos Cow , 7 Nos. Calf /Goats/ Local Hen- kept
starving for three days and allowed only for one day today.
(d)     Shri Bharat Sharma, Ex Up Pramukh of Ferrargunj Panchayat Samiti
informed that poultry birds in his area are dying due to non supply of feed.
(e)     Chicken Shops/ Fish Market – Totally closed.
(f)     All grocery and FPS shops closed
(g)     Potatoes lying in Jetty in tonnes but will rot as no transport not being allowed.
(h)     7000 tonnes of goods are lying in  Jetty since 18/03/2020 for want of transport.
(i)     Two to three days back another 8000 tonnes essential commodities like Rice, Grocery items and other goods have landed but cannot be transported.

II.     Today in the evening hours, petty vegetable sellers have been taken to Thana by Police at Maybunder. Shri Ramdas, State Gen Secy requested SHO, Mayabunder to release them but not released till 10 PM night of 25-03-2020.

III.    Smt Pushpa Rani Mondal, Pradhan, Kalighat (Mob:- 9531830432) had
come to Port Blair on 18-03-2020 (with sister in law) to attend medical issues (Vehicle No. AN K 0357 Car) but not being allowed to go back to Kalighat as ATR ( lifeline to North & Middle Andaman) has been closed completely and therefore, will not be able to disburse salary- arrange her movement by own vehicle immediately.

IV.     As per message received from Shri Babul Sarkar, Ex Pradhan, Netaji
Nagar (Mob: - 9434272065), patients went to Kolkata under ANISHI. Now
treatment is over and they are on road. Demand:- Please accommodate them at Andaman Bhavan, Salt Lake at the earliest.

V.      I received a message from one Dinesh, Pharmacy Shop owner (9932080110) that due to closure of all shops, children and chronic disease patients are suffering.

5. The Guidelines issued by MHA, if implemented in its letter and spirit in the territory, will not impact the islanders but due to additional conditions imposed by Administration, it may result in chaos. The food items, if delivered in packets, will never reach remote corners/ forest encroachment areas / remote tribal areas or even remote areas of South Andaman including problems in lone Urban area. The packets  for delivery to islanders contains 2 Kg rice, 1 Kg Oil, ½ kg salt etc worth Rs 875/-. This will be difficult to even
supply in Municipal area leave alone other island. For example –

(a) about 8000 families are living in Forest encroachment areas scattered in islands over a stretch of 750 Kms in tough terrain for example Burmachad, Beach dera, Cutbert Bay, Khattakhari etc

(b) Revenue villages such as hanspuri, Gandhi Nagar, Ganesh Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Shoal Bay 19, Rutland, Little Nicobar, Chowra etc

During such Public Health Emergency it is incumbent upon authorities to see that stress among people is less and they have access to healthy diet so that they are able to withstand the disease due to self immunity. In this territory, presently everyone is under severe stress as well as have been denied access to healthy living.

6. All islanders, elected bodies/ representatives (PRIs and Municipal Council), Ex MP and party Units/ Party Office bearers are demanding over phone to state President and other office bearers to implement MHA guidelines in its letter and spirit.

DEMAND for implementation:-
I.      MHA Guideline Serial No.3 on Hospitals and all related medical
establishments ... to remain functional. The transportation for all medical personnel... hospital support services to be permitted.

(Position in Islands :- (a) All Private hospitals / nursing homes /chemist shops / laboraties/ dispensaries / clinics etc are totally closed. Islanders on panic saying we may escape Corona but will die due to other medical ailments/ hunger. Example – one lady from Teylerabad was shooed away by authorities after they walked to 3 KMs for getting diabetic medicine. Criticism of MODI Govt becoming high.

II.     MHA Guideline Serial No.4 reg exceptions (a) to (j) i,e shops... Private Security Services- Not implemented and forcefully closed. POL OUTLETS IN DIFFERENT ISLANDs CLOSED SINCE 20/03/20 . SHOULD BE OPENED IMMEDIATELY IN TERMS OF MINISTRY GUIDELINES.

III.    MHA Guideline Serial No. 5, 6 (a), 15 etc – Not implemented.

IV.     Even Phone recharging shops / Bsnl has been stopped which should
be immediately restored.

V.      ANIIDCO must give free of cost feeds to the Farmers particularly in diary and goatery as part of Social responsibility as per their Article of Association and in view of huge profit out of sale of liquor.

VI.     Availability of food materials and vegetables / fish/ meat including transport is ensured to general public. (From Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep and Little Andaman are vegetable growers in South Andaman. Let their produce come easily into the market with arrangement of vessels).

VII.    Animal husbandry department to ensure that all farmers must get
adequate POL and adequate feed / fodder to the farmers throughout the
islands as they have a list of such farmers.

VIII.    Fisheries department to ensure that adequate POL to be given to
the licensed fishermen who venture into the sea at suitable place. Feed to farmers who cultivate sweet water fish timely.

IX.     Testing through RMRC, Port Blair- Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, GOI, vide D.O. No.R150113/01/2020-HR-VRDL dated 21st March,
2020 under Serial No. iv “all hospitalised patients with Severe Acute Respiratory illness (fever AND cough and /or shortness of breath – Sample Collection of all such cases in CHC / PHC/ District Hospitals in different islands may be done immediately and sample testing be carried out at the earliest, as done in 29 cases through ICMR on recommendation of DHS, which were found to be ‘negative’ for corona virus. Expertise, equipments are already available with the RMRC, Port Blair. (As I am writing this I am informed that one case has tested positive who arrived in the islands on 24th March, 2020 and detected at Airport and quarantined).

X.      State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) meeting may be called
immediately involving the elected representatives such as three tier PRI/ Municipal Council/ MP/ ex MP/ heads of political parties and

XI.     Those officers (including retired officers- son of the soil) who rendered yeoman service during the disaster of 2004 may be engaged as volunteers- to prepare a plan of action tailor made to the particular requirements of these remote islands.

XII.    Essential service passes like for pharmaceuticals, veg sellers, milk sellers etc not given yet. Guidelines of Ministry to be followed.

Thanking you
With Warm regards
Yours faithfully

Sd/-
(Bishnu Pada Ray)
Ex- Member of Parliament
BJP, A & N Islands

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