Dweep Tulika

  Sri Vijaya Puram | September 2, 2026 A new digital platform, ‘Verify U’ , has been introduced in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with the stated objective of helping identify people during emergencies and enabling quicker access to their basic, medical and emergency-contact information. The application was demonstrated during an event attended by chief guest Nand Kishore Singh , Captain Saurabh and other guests and participants. According to the developers, the platform combines facial recognition , emergency contacts, location services and controlled access to medical information , with potential applications in road accidents, cases involving unconscious persons, elderly people, children and women's safety. Facial Recognition for Emergency Identification One of the key use cases presented during the demonstration involved an unconscious person following a road accident. The developers explained that identifying an accident victim and establishing contact with their famil...

  Sri Vijaya Puram | August 31, 2026 Congress political leader Shri TSG Bhasker has raised serious concerns over the ongoing shortage of flight services to and from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands , highlighting the impact of reduced connectivity and rising airfares on tourism, local businesses, e-commerce and patients travelling to the mainland . Speaking during a press interaction, Bhasker described the situation as unprecedented, claiming that even during the COVID-19 period , the Islands had not witnessed such a prolonged disruption in air connectivity. “Even during COVID, we had not seen a situation like this.” He pointed to the limited number of flights currently operating and the sharp rise in airfares, arguing that the consequences are being felt across the wider Island economy . Tourism Industry Under Pressure According to TSG Bhasker, reduced flight services are directly affecting the tourism sector. He said the impact extends beyond hotels and tourism operato...

New Delhi | August 27, 2026 A fresh confrontation has emerged between India and a United Nations human-rights watchdog over the proposed development of Great Nicobar Island , with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) calling for suspension of the projects pending independent assessments, while the Government of India has rejected the committee's observations as “politically motivated” and “highly malicious.” The development has brought the long-running debate over the Great Nicobar infrastructure project back into the national spotlight, placing Indigenous rights, environmental concerns and India's development priorities at the centre of the discussion. In its concluding observations on India, CERD expressed concern over the potential impact of major infrastructure and development projects on Indigenous and tribal communities. With regard to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the committee recommended that India suspend implementation of the pr...

Sri Vijaya Puram | August 27, 2026 A team from KIMS Hospitals, Visakhapatnam , led by Dr. Chalapathi Rao Achanta , MD (Medicine), DM (Gastro), Chief Consultant, Gastroenterology , met Hon’ble Member of Parliament Shri Bishnu Pada Ray as a courtesy call during the hospital's ongoing medical camp in Sri Vijaya Puram. The team was accompanied by General Manager Shri Venkata Krishna Prasad . Shri Someswara Rao, Councillor, Ward No. 2 , was also present during the meeting. The KIMS team briefed the MP about the super-speciality and CHGS medical services and facilities available at KIMS Hospitals, Visakhapatnam, which they said could benefit patients from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, particularly those who travel to Andhra Pradesh for medical treatment. The hospital is also taking steps to seek empanelment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme , with the objective of facilitating access to its healthcare services for eligible patients from the Islands. Shri Bishnu Pada Ray expres...

  Tugapur | August 27, 2026 Shri TSG Bhasker , Chairman, TSG Charitable Foundation , visited the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Tugapur , where he met admitted patients and enquired about their health and the treatment being provided to them. During the visit, Shri TSG Bhasker also interacted with the doctors and medical staff and held discussions regarding the facilities and healthcare services available at the PHC. The visit focused on understanding the condition of patients and taking stock of the medical facilities and services being provided at the health centre. Shri TSG Bhasker was accompanied by Shri Alagar Swamy , Adhyaksh, Zilla Parishad, North & Middle Andaman; Shri K.K. Sikder , former Zilla Parishad Member, Tugapur; Shri Ganesh , former Zilla Parishad Member; Shri Prakash Mondal , Pradhan, Uttara Panchayat ; Shri Vadivelu , PRI Member; and Shri P.T. Paul , social worker. The visit highlighted the importance of regular engagement with healthcare institutions an...

  Wimberlygunj | August 20, 2026 The Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Football League-cum-Knockout Tournament kicked off at the Wimberlygunj Mini Stadium on Thursday, drawing a large gathering of football enthusiasts, players and local residents. The tournament was organised by the Block Congress Committee, Wimberlygunj , under the leadership of Block President Shri A. Khais , with the stated objective of promoting sportsmanship, youth participation and community engagement. Shri Saji Varghese , Chairman of the Minority Department-ANTCC , attended the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest. Addressing the participating players, he encouraged young people to actively pursue sports while emphasising discipline, teamwork and healthy competition. Before the inauguration, the dignitaries paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Shri Rajiv Gandhi by garlanding his portrait. The inaugural ceremony was attended by several Congress leaders, elected representatives, local ...

Sri Vijaya Puram | August 27, 2026 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Andaman & Nicobar Islands has announced a public meeting in Sri Vijaya Puram on August 28, 2026 , inviting Islanders to participate and discuss issues concerning the Islands. The meeting is scheduled to be held at Tiranga Park, Aberdeen Bazaar, Sri Vijaya Puram , from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM . According to the event announcement, the meeting will focus on the party's stated priorities for the Islands, including education, healthcare, government employment, basic infrastructure, water supply, power supply and transportation . The party has also highlighted its broader political message of “ Alternative Politics ” and referred to the “ Delhi Model ” as part of its campaign narrative. The event invitation also encourages residents interested in joining the AAP's activities in the Islands to contact the party or visit its office. Public Meeting Details 📍 Venue: Tiranga Park, Aberdeen Bazaar, Sri Vijaya Puram ...

  By Dweep Tulika There is an uncomfortable question emerging on the streets of Sri Vijaya Puram : When the administration removes a roadside vendor in the name of clearing public space, where does the protection of that vendor's livelihood begin and end? The question is not whether roads, footpaths and public land should remain accessible. They should. Illegal occupation of government land and obstruction of pedestrian movement cannot simply be ignored. But a street vendor is not automatically the same thing as an encroacher . That distinction is particularly important because street vending in India is governed by a specific legal framework — the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 — and Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council itself lists the Act, the Union Territory's 2015 Rules and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Street Vendors Scheme, 2016 among the regulations applicable to the municipality. Clearing Encroachments Is...

  Sri Vijaya Puram | August 26, 2026 The Andaman & Nicobar Islands has a unique economic challenge. Its geography makes many essential services expensive to provide, while its small and scattered population can make several commercial activities difficult for private companies to operate profitably. That is one reason government intervention remains necessary. But there is another side to the question. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited ( ANIIDCO ) is a government-owned corporation that does not merely perform administrative functions. Its stated objective includes developing and commercially exploiting the natural resources of the territory for balanced and environmentally friendly development. This raises an important public-policy question: When a government corporation participates in commercial activities and generates revenue, where is that commercial role justified—and how should Islanders benefit from it? ANIIDCO Was Cr...