Serendipity : Musings of an Islander

Celebration in the time of pandemic By Debkumar Bhadra Festivals and festivities are an integral part of Indian culture. In the words of Sadguru significance and importance of festivals in Indian culture was such that there was a time when there used to be a festival every day of the year. If today is ploughing day, tomorrow will be planting day, day after tomorrow weeding day - 365 days, 365 festivals. The sole purpose of these festivals is to bring peoples closer to one another, break the monotony, socialize, celebrate and unite into a fabric appreciating and rejoicing each other’s tradition, festivals and cultural diversity . In the coming month, we have Durga Puja between 22-26 October, 2020. Celebration of Sharadiya Durga Puja in the islands and elsewhere in the country is unique in the sense that more than those five auspicious puja days, preceding months spent in preparation are also an event in itself. Secondly almost all Durga Puja is performed in temporary pandals put ...

Road safety cannot be limited to enforcement of helmet rule; In life-threatening situations, helmets unlikely to give adequate protection. Debkumar Bhadra                    |           Musings of an Islander             |           South Andaman Last week almost every local dailies carried a news item which reads … persons riding two wheelers in these islands are advised to wear proper ISI marked Head Protective Gear (Helmet) and also the pillion riders are advised to wear helmets for safety of their life. The release further adds that Andaman & Nicobar Police is going to launch special traffic drives against riders/pillion riders who do not wear the prescribed protective head gear. Anyone found violating the [helmet]...

Following is the text of letter submitted to the Deputy Commissioner South Andaman/Excise Officer (HQ) in response to the public notice inviting opinion on the proposed change in bar timings to curb consumption of liquor in A&N Islands. Dear Sir At the outset I would like to place on record my appreciation towards the Chairperson A&N S tate S ocial W elfare B oard for the concern and its effort in curbing consumption of alcohol in these islands by suggesting reduction in business hours for serving liquor in bars in these islands. I would also like to record my sincere gratitude towards the D eputy C ommissioner (S outh A ndaman )/E xcise O fficer (HQ) for putting out public notice through T he D aily T elegrams dated S aturday, N ovember 14, 2015 inviting opinion from the public on the issue. Before going into the issue, I consider it worth making it clear beforehand that I am in favour of the proposed change (reduction) in bar timings. I believe the p...

The workers of M/S A ndaman T imber I ndustries (now called M/S ATI L td) have been reeling under abject poverty ever since the company closed its operation rendering thousands of its workers jobless. To add insult to the injury, workers retirement dues had been linked to liquidation of company’s immovable property, which is the subject matter of court’s proceedings. M/S A ndaman  T imber  I ndustries  having its plywood manufacturing company at S hore P oint, B ambooflat in S outh A ndaman closed permanently on 9th O ctober 2000. Following wide spread protest, a meeting was convened by the then H on’ble L t G overnor at R aj N ivas involving ATI management, the then MP , ATI workers representatives, and S enior officers of A&N A dministration on 08/09/2001 . Subsequent to the deliberations at R aj N ivas and with the  MP  later in the day, ATI management issued a notice under R ef N o 231/118/2001-02 dated 17/09/2001 promising its workers enhanced ret...