Port Blair, Sept. 15: The Member of Parliament, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma today requested the Chief Secretary to send a cargo/passenger ship for Katchal Island with sufficient stock of ration items.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, the Member of Parliament today mentioned that he has been informed by the people of Katchal Island that presently the Katchal Island is witnessing scarcity of ration items, which has triggered a sense of panic among the residents of Island.

He added that residents of Katchal Island have informed him that many shops in the Island have run out of ration items, because of which people of the Island are now worried.

The Last ship/ferry with ration item had berthed at Katchal Island on August 05, 2021 because of which the present shortage of ration items has been triggered.

Considering the difficulties faced by the residents of Katchal Island, the Member of Parliament today requested the Chief Secretary to send a cargo/passenger ship for Katchal Island with sufficient stock of ration items to meet the present demand and also the buffer stock for the coming days.

As Katchal is a remote Island, the Member of Parliament also requested the Chief Secretary to issue instructions to concerned officials to maintain a buffer stock of ration and other essential items in the Island, all the time, so that in future people of Katchal Island do not suffer like this.