General Public Demand Easing Out Rules for Public Convenience

Kadamtalam, Dec. 18: The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt been adequately managed by the A&N Administration, reducing the active cases to two digits and ceasing the death figures. There are rules framed by the A&N Administration for passengers arriving at the airport or travelling to inter-islands, which also has been effective in controlling the pandemic spread.

In an incident reported by a passenger from N&M Andaman, the concerned authorities at Middle Andaman have been said to forcefully get another screening done, in spite of a test report which was done a few hours ago.

A passenger named Pawan Sharma explained that he had travelled from Kaushalya Nagar in North Andaman to Port Blair today. Before his journey, he was asked to get a mandatory test for COVID-19 done at Kaushalya Nagar, which turned out to be negative and he was allowed to travel. Few hours later when he had reaches Nimbudera Jetty carrying his negative test report, he was forced to stay back along with all other passengers carrying a negative test report, to screened again and get the initial/ signature of the authorities before proceeding further. This is causing enough inconvenience to the travellers who are again forced to crowd at Nimbudera, thereby increasing the chances of getting infected.

“I fail to understand, why this double screening is required by the authorities, who themselves test and hand over negative test reports few hours before the travel”, he said.

While the A&N Administration has successfully controlled the Pandemic spread in the islands, it can be expected that the Administration takes a note of the genuine issues raised by the general public and alter the rules for convenience of the citizens, who travel long distance.