Port Blair, Dec. 14: The ANTCC Campaign Committee Chairman Mr. TSG Bhasker has highlighted the issue of lack of adequate seats available in the helicopters plying in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Mr. Bhasker said that the seating capacity available in the helicopters run by Pawan Hans in A&N Islands are very low. Sometimes most of the seats are occupied by the government servants and the general public are put to hardship for getting seats even if on an emergency basis.

“As you know the medical patients need immediate evacuation from places like Diglipur, Mayabunder and Rangat where the road conditions are very poor and at such time lack of having helicopter with high seating capacity causes tremendous problems to the patients and their families”, said Mr. Bhasker

Hence, he requested the Chief Secretary to consider the possibility of hiring helicopters with high seating capacity of around 20 to 25 seats so that the demand of the local population is fulfilled.