Port Blair, Aug 21: The Member of Parliament, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has demanded sailing of an all-port ship for all major Islands of Nicobar District via Hut Bay once, in every 10 days.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, the Member of Parliament said that Shipping Services is the lifeline of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, especially for the people of the Southern Group of Islands. As helicopter service offers only a limited number of seats to passengers and in most of the cases the seats remain reserved for urgent official works and patients for general public living in the Southern Group of Islands, ships are the only alternative for travelling from one Island to another.

He pointed out that before COVID-19 pandemic there was a practice of operating ships for all ports viz. Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Chowra, Teressa, Katchal, Nancowry and Campbell Bay on regular basis but after since COVID-19, number of all port sailing was reduced for various reasons.

He added that due to the non-availability of this all port ship, a lot of people from Nicobari Community are unable to visit other Islands of Nicobar District to meet their family members and relatives during family functions/rituals as well as festivals.

The Member of Parliament added that thousands of Nicobari brothers and sisters are living scattered in different Islands of Nicobar District, who have a strong link with other but presently due to unavailability of connecting ships, they are forced to come to Port Blair and wait for several weeks to get a ship for any other Island of Nicobar District and they have to undergo similar hardship in their return journey.

He added that for this journey from one Island of Nicobar District (including Little Andaman Island of South Andaman District) to another Island of Nicobar District and vice versa via Port Blair they have to incur heavy expenditure and go through tremendous mental agony. Not only this, such a journey via Port Blair is also very time consuming.

The Member of Parliament mentioned that all port ships are also required to supply fresh vegetables, fish and meat from Little Andaman to Car Nicobar and other Islands of Nicobar District, where a large number of tribal population and government servants and their families reside.

All ports ships 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 and also this will reduce prices of vegetables, fish and meat at Car Nicobar and other Islands of Nicobar District Island.

He added that other than this, all port ships on a regular basis can make the lives of businessmen, patients, students, government servants posted in Nicobar District less stressful.

The Member of Parliament also mentioned that all port ships while returning to Port Blair can bring Copra from tribal people of Nicobar District to Port Blair, which will generate revenue for the Government and bring socio-economic development for the Tribal Community of Nicobar District.