Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 14: Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has raised the long-pending grievances of Borong village (Ward No. 12), under Mayabunder Gram Panchayat, which has been deprived of basic infrastructure and welfare facilities for over five decades. Despite the settlement of 32 families between 1970 and 1974 on 5 hectares of allotted land, the villagers continue to suffer from neglect and lack of essential services.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, with copies to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and Hon’ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji for urgent intervention, the MP highlighted the following critical issues:-
No road connectivity & safety risk: A temporary forest road of about 5 km from Horibay to Borong, originally created for transporting forest produce, is the only access route. No pucca road has been constructed till date; the pipe across the nallah has been washed away, cutting off connectivity. Children are forced to discontinue education beyond the primary level due to inaccessibility, and villagers face the constant threat of crocodile attacks while crossing the nallah. Therefore, he urged immediate inclusion of the project in APWD’s annual plan with all necessary clearances.
No safe drinking water supply: After the 2004 tsunami, traditional water sources were destroyed. Till date, APWD has made no alternative arrangements. Villagers are compelled to consume untreated nallah water, causing health risks, especially during summer scarcity. Shockingly, the UT Administration claimed 100% Har Ghar Jal coverage under Jal Jeevan Mission and even secured a National Award by submitting misleading reports.
Dilapidated Primary School & Staff Quarters: The semi-RCC primary school is unsafe and urgently needs renovation. Teacher quarters are damaged beyond use, forcing staff to stay in Mayabunder and walk 5 km daily, affecting attendance. He recommended constructing prefabricated model staff quarters at the earliest.
Absence of medical facilities: No dispensary or medical team visits Borong regularly. During outbreaks of malaria, dengue, or seasonal diseases, villagers face severe risks without access to healthcare. Therefore, a primary health sub-centre/ a small dispensary is required to be set up urgently there.
Poor mobile network connectivity: Borong village remains digitally isolated due to weak mobile coverage, depriving villagers of access to education, healthcare, financial services, and emergency communication. The MP urged coordination with service providers to extend network coverage immediately.
Shri Bishnu Pada Ray also pointed out that while pucca houses under PM Awas Yojana have been provided from Central Government funds, the UT Administration has ignored the basic rights of the villagers, reflecting serious negligence on the part of concerned officials. He demanded that strict action be taken against those responsible for this dereliction of duty.
The MP emphasized that the issues of Borong village are not just about development, but about the fundamental rights of the people, including access to safe drinking water, healthcare, education, connectivity, and dignity of life. Therefore, he urged the Chief Secretary and all concerned departments i.e. APWD, Education, Health, and BSNL/IT to take immediate steps to provide these long-denied basic facilities and bring justice to the people of Borong after five decades of neglect.