Page 4 - Andaman And Nicobar Islands

United Nations urges rescue of 190 refugees adrift in Andaman Sea

Reports indicate that they have been at sea in dire conditions for a month, lacking sufficient food or water, and with no efforts from any States in the region to help

Updated On : 24 Dec 2022 | 10:22 AM IST

Sea-borne Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh believed adrift in Andaman Sea

Nearly 160 Rohingya refugees who have fled from camps in Bangladesh are now believed adrift in the Andaman Sea as their boat's engine broke down. One of the refugees managed to contact the Rohingya Human Rights Initiative (RHRI) and give the coordinates which showed the ship drifting southeast of the Andaman Islands towards Aceh in Indonesia. Since the contact was made on Wednesday, we have no news of where they have drifted We have appealed to all agencies working with such sea-borne refugees to try and help these people, RHRI Director Sabber Kyaw Min told PTI over the phone. However, RHRI's statement could not be independently verified by either the Indian Coast Guard or Unified Andamans & Nicobar Command. The Command's spokesperson said through WhatsApp: We have no information. From the location given by RHRI, it appears that the Rohingya boat is outside Indian waters. The refugees are mostly women and children, who number 120, and 40 adult men, said Min on Friday. The Rohing

Updated On : 09 Dec 2022 | 10:47 PM IST

5 more states likely to merge with national single window system by Dec 15

Five more states and union territories -- Haryana, Andaman and Nicobar, Tripura, Jharkhand, and Arunachal Pradesh) -- are likely to integrate with the National Single Window System (NSWS) by December 15. The system currently accepts applications for 248 government-to-business clearance and approvals from 26 central ministries and departments, including states. So far 16 states/UTs are already onboarded, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Karnataka, the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) said in a statement on Thursday. "The teams are working with 5 more states to integrate by 15 December," it said, adding, "it is expected that the onboarding of remaining 8 ministries/departments of Government of India would happen by 31 December and the balance states/UTs by 31 March 2023." It said over 44,000 approvals have been facilitated through NSWS and over 28,000 approvals are currently under process. The system

Updated On : 01 Dec 2022 | 8:03 PM IST

Ambassadors blow conch shells at Andaman; India G20 presidency begins Dec 1

As India is set to assume the G20 presidency on December 1, the ambassadors and heads of missions of G20 nations on November 26 blew conch shells at the Swaraj Dweep in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Amitabh Kant, the G20 Sherpa of India, shared the video of G20 ambassadors blowing the conch shell in the Andamans on Twitter.While sharing the video on the microblogging site, Amitabh Kant said, "Embarking on our G20 Presidency with the auspicious "Shankhnaad". Blowing the Conch Shell with Ambassadors & Heads of Missions of G20 countries at the Swaraj Dweep in the Andamans."A special briefing of the resident heads of international organizations was held at Swaraj Dweep in Andaman Nicobar Islands on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. More than 40 missions and International Organizations participated in the program.A detailed briefing was given by the G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant and Harsh Shringla, the Chief Coordinator of the G20 Summit which is .

Updated On : 27 Nov 2022 | 4:18 PM IST

Special briefing for G20 envoys, invitee nations held in Andaman - Nicobar

Ahead of India assuming the G20 Presidency, a special briefing of the Resident Heads of Missions of the G20 member countries, invited guest countries and International Organizations was held

Updated On : 27 Nov 2022 | 7:36 AM IST

Andaman's Swaraj Dweep decked up for G20 Presidency meeting today

Swaraj Dweep, popularly known as Havelock Island, in Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been decked up to host one of the much-awaited meetings of the G20 Presidency which will be held on Saturday afternoon. Spread over an area of 92.2 sq km and having a population of 5,500, Swaraj Dweep is two-and-half-hour by sea journey from Port Blair in government ferries and private cruises. As Swaraj Dweep is known for its pristine beaches, G20 India coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant organised a yoga session on Kala Patthar beach on Saturday morning for around 40 delegates from various countries. The beach is nearly 13 km from the private hotel where they are staying. The delegates, including British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis, Russian ambassador Denis Alipov, German envoy Dr P Ackermann, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell and others reached the island around 7.30 pm on Friday after a tour of Cellular Jail in Port Blair, a senior offici

Updated On : 26 Nov 2022 | 2:05 PM IST

Andaman & Nicobar islands may face squalls, heavy rains on Nov 15-16

The Directorate of Disaster Management has issued heavy rainfall warning in some places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on November 15-16. All the floating, aviation and ashore units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the Navy were mobilised and put on high alert, it said, adding that these assets have been deployed in Andaman sea. Though the alert has been issued for the next five days from Sunday but on November 15 and 16, the rainfall likely to create havoc in some parts of the archipelago including, Port Blair, Campbell Bay, Kamorta and Diglipur, the department said. "Due to squally weather, wind speed exceeding 45 kmph is likely to prevail over Andaman Sea. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea in coming few days," a statement issued by the Directorate of Disaster Management said. Meanwhile, tourists were asked to stay indoor and requested not to venture into sea for adventure sports at Corbyn's Cove, Swaraj, Elephanta, Collin

Updated On : 13 Nov 2022 | 9:53 PM IST

India's groundwater extraction stage at 60% in 2022, says report

In 2022, around 87 per cent of the total annual ground water extracted that is around 208.49 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) was for irrigation which in 2020 was around 89 per cent

Updated On : 10 Nov 2022 | 11:06 PM IST

Andaman gang rape case: SIT questions ex-chief secy for third day

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Andaman and Nicobar Police for the third day on Monday grilled former chief secretary Jitendra Narain in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 21-year-old woman, officials said. Members of the BJP's women wing Mahila Morcha staged protests, holding black flags and placards, at the main and rear entrances of Police Lines, where Narain is being questioned, and raised slogans against the former chief secretary. The police, however, took Narain through the main entrance of the Police Lines before protesters gathered and is questioning him since 10 AM. Narain was grilled on two days Friday and Saturday while a homestay in Port Blair was raided on Sunday in connection with the probe. Sampa Banerjee, the BJP Mahila Morcha president of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said, "We are protesting such acts by senior bureaucrats in the islands. This is our fight to protect the dignity and respect of our local women." "If found guilty, we demand stern ac

Updated On : 31 Oct 2022 | 2:03 PM IST

Ex-Andaman CS grilled for second day over alleged gangrape charge

Former chief secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Jitendra Narain was on Saturday grilled for the second consecutive day in connection with the alleged gangrape of a 21-year-old woman, an official said. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Andaman and Nicobar Police started questioning the senior official around 11 AM at Police Lines in Port Blair. The interrogation was underway for more than six hours. Narain was brought inside the Police Lines premises through a rear gate to avoid protesters. The practice was followed on Friday as well as agitators carrying placards staged a protest at the main gate. The SIT, headed by senior IPS officer Monika Bhardwaj of the Andaman and Nicobar Police, had questioned Narain for over eight hours on Friday. The investigation team was constituted to probe allegations that the woman was lured to the chief secretary's residence with the promise of a government job and then raped by top officials including Narain. Labour Commissioner R L R

Updated On : 29 Oct 2022 | 6:27 PM IST

Ex-Andaman chief secretary to appear before SIT over gangrape charges

Former chief secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Jitendra Narain arrived in Port Blair on Thursday, following a Calcutta High Court order to appear before a Special Investigation Team, which is probing alleged gangrape charges against him, by October 28. Narain was escorted out of the airport amid heavy security cover, officials said. He did not respond to questions from mediapersons, who were waiting for his arrival at the airport. A vacation bench comprising justices Bibek Chaudhuri and Prasenjit Biswas also granted interim protection against arrest to Narain till a date that will be fixed by the circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court in Port Blair on November 14, on its first date of sitting after the Durga Puja vacation. The court also noted that Narain, who was transferred to Delhi on July 21, has declared that he is ready and willing to cooperate with the investigation. The SIT is probing an allegation by a woman that she was gangraped by Narain and others on April 14

Updated On : 27 Oct 2022 | 8:29 PM IST

SIT to investigate gang-rape charge against senior officials in Andaman

A Special Investigating Team has been constituted to probe allegations of a 21-year-old woman in Andaman and Nicobar Islands that she was gang-raped by officials there including a former chief secretary. The police registered a case earlier this month on the complaint filed by the woman alleging that she was sexually abused by Narain, a 1990 batch IAS officer, and Labour commissioner R L Rishi at the latter's official residence on two occasions. The Aberdeen police station registered the case and a Special Investigating Team headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police was formed to probe the serious allegation against Narain, who is at present posted as the chairman and managing director of the Delhi Financial Corporation. When contacted, Narain told PTI that he can not comment on the issue as the matter is sub judice. The woman lodged the complaint with the police on August 21 in which she gave a detailed account of the alleged sexual attack on her twice - in April and May - and .

Updated On : 15 Oct 2022 | 4:58 PM IST

4.5-magnitude earthquake hits Diglipur of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 on the Richter scale was recorded 150 km north of Diglipur in Andaman and Nicobar island, National Center for Seismology said on Wednesday.The earthquake occurred at 5:43 pm."Earthquake of Magnitude:4.5, occurred on September 28, 2022, 17:43:36 IST, Lat: 14.61 & Long: 93.11, Depth: 10 Km, Location: 150km N of Diglipur, Andaman and Nicobar island, India," National Center for Seismology said.

Updated On : 29 Sep 2022 | 7:45 AM IST

8 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Andaman, active case tally at 32

Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported eight new COVID-19 cases, taking its tally to 10,533, as per a health bulletin issued on Friday. There are 32 active cases in the Union Territory at present, it said. In the last 24 hours, one person recovered from the disease, following which the total recoveries rose to 10,379. The toll remained at 129 with no deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

Updated On : 19 Aug 2022 | 11:55 AM IST