Port Blair, March 14: The Member of Parliament, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested the Chief Secretary of A&N Administration to schedule Ships for Car Nicobar Island via Hut Bay twice a month.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, the Member of Parliament mentioned that due to the non-availability of ships for Car Nicobar via Hut Bay, a lot of people from Nicobari Community are unable to visit Car Nicobar to meet their family members and relatives during family functions/rituals as well as festivals.

He pointed out that there are nearly 3000 Nicobari brothers and sisters living in Harminder Bay area of Little Andaman Island, who have a strong link with Car Nicobar. Due to unavailability of connecting ships, they are forced to come to Port Blair and wait for several weeks to get a ship for Car Nicobar. They have to undergo similar hardship in their return journey. For this journey from Little Andaman to Car Nicobar and vice versa via Port Blair they also have to incur heavy expenditure and go through tremendous mental agony.

The Member of Parliament mentioned that occasional ships to Car Nicobar via Hut Bay are also required to supply fresh vegetables, fish and meat from Little Andaman to Car Nicobar Island, where a large number of tribal population and government servants and their families reside.

He said that such connecting ships will also open up business opportunities for poor farmers and other small business owners of Little Andaman, who have already suffered heavy financial loss during this pandemic time. It will reduce prices of vegetables, fish and meat at Car Nicobar Island.

The MP added that since the lockdown, such connecting sailing of ships to Car Nicobar via Hut Bay was withdrawn and hence he requested the Chief Secretary to direct the Shipping Department to schedule Ship for Car Nicobar via Hut Bay atleast twice a month.