To

Mr. Chetan B Sanghi, IAS

The Chief Secretary

A & N Administration

Port Blair.

 

Copy to :

The Editor

Andaman Chronicle,

 

Dear Sir,

The biggest impediment to Digital Andaman and most other initiatives of the Administration and even the Govt. of India appears to be B.S.N.L in Andamans.

I came to Andamans in 1967. Even in those days the biggest problems were water, telephones, electricity & shipping. Every year, the LG’s earlier (CC) Republic Day Address etc. will testify to these.

I could not access the Republic /Independence Day address/statements of CS/LG/CC for these years as there were not available with The Daily Telegram office and I did not keep copies .

The same tradition still continues even after fifty years. Earlier, telephones were the problem. Now telephone broadband, mobile internet and even landlines are all problems.

Since it is customary to hold the Head of the Department responsible, I suggest that the CGM, BSNL should be held accountable.

I admit that it is difficult for a person in authority to suddenly do this without admitting that the initial appointment itself was wrong. In a hierarchical organization every person rises to his own level of incompetence, the only alternative is to “kick him upstairs”.  May be promote him to Principal Chief General Manager and post him to planning or the central registry.

I have four land lines that show low voltage and 5 BSNL mobile phones. All land lines are non-ops from 19th May 2020 onwards.  Mobile network is non-ops most of the times even Whatsapps and even text messages fail.  Such a total failure is unprecedented even in A&N Islands.

Now under lock down, most Offices are working with one third of the staff.  Rest are working from home (?) even in absence of internet, telephone and mobiles.

Bank transactions are most affected, no wonder, in case non-ops internet, money deposited in cash or purchase made by Debit/Credit cards etc. 

Businessmen are unable to pay the GST, IT and TDS etc. in a time bound manner keep on paying penalty and interest in default. Even in Digital India of which the islands are a part of, despite the Govt. monopolies like BSNL and the Electricity Department.  I strongly believe that there is some scope of improvement.

SAMIR ACHARYA

Secretary, Society for Andaman & Nicobar Ecology