Port Blair, May 8: The Chief Secretary of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, Shri Chetan B Sanghi has told the All India Radio (AIR) in an interview that the Administration now has to plan whether to bring back the stranded islanders during the period of lockdown or after that.

According to the excerpts of the interview in AIR carried by the Administration’s mouthpiece ‘The Daily Telegrams’, “The Chief Secretary said that the Administration planned to bring the stranded islanders from mainland in view of the lockdown that was scheduled to be lifted on May 3 but considering the surge in the disease the lockdown had to be further extended for another two weeks and we now have to plan whether to bring back the stranded islanders during the period of lockdown or after that. We have collected the data of the stranded islanders which shows more than 1000 people which includes recovered medical cases, students”.

“Further for transportation of stranded passengers of Inter-Islands, regular sailings of vessels have started for movement of people from one Green Zone to another Green Zone, he said adding that the movement of the people from Red Zone to Green Zone is not permissible, considering the threat it involves”.

“The people / Govt. Servants who are stranded in Green Zones may contact the Deputy Commissioner / Assistant Commissioner / Tehsildar/ Revenue Staff for the movement to respective places/ postings, he said. As far as movement of people which includes Govt. Servants/ Health Workers from Red Zone to Green Zone is concerned, a protocol has to be followed… The Administration is cautiously transporting stranded people from one Island to another as it cannot afford to risk the life of other Islanders”.