- Details
- Shibu Varghese, Prothrapur
- Hits: 1276
- Details
- Paul Markham
- Hits: 1335
Reference your article: Celebrity Resort Threatens Isolated Tribe, I think you may wish to take the following into account
I have stayed at the resort in question, and can say with conviction that the article is based on some obious falsehoods. The resort is more than 3 kilometers away from the tribal reserve (and not 500m as Survival sensationally suggests) and there is no interaction at all between resort guests and the Jarawa, and in fact the resort stresses repeatedly that any guest who attempts to contact the Jarawa will be evicted and reported to the police.
The location is stunningly beautiful, with an amazing beach and gorgeous sunsets across the water, with good snorkeling opportunities
There is no question of any Jarawa hunting path in the vicinity.
I have brought this article to the notice of Barefoot who have advised that they shall be posting a response to this article (to Survival Internation) on their website as well
Regards
Paul Markham
- Details
- Sai
- Hits: 1283
It is for the first time in the history of these Islands, ‘RDS APL 20-20’ Cricket tournament was held between 10 teams at Netaji Stadium. Many of the matches were day and night match, which was witnessed by a large gathering. The final match was won by Aberdeen Heroes defeating Sapan and Megha Royals by 6 wickets. Many sponsors like RDS Project, AXIS Bank, SBI, Syndicate Bank, Fairmacs Trading Company, Royal Challenge Chennai, RSC&CO, Agency House etc sponsored various prizes. The Man of the Match was given a Hero Honda Motor Cycle by RSN and Agency House. Afzal Decorators and Techmech Electronics sponsored the Best Batsman prize to Sobojit Paul.Shri.Ravi was given Up and Down air ticket by Afzal Decorators and Kingfisher Airlines. A prize for best promising under-19 player was given by State Bank of India.
This is a positive trend and the interest shown by various business groups will definitely be a morale booster for the sports persons of these Islands.
- Details
- Mrs. Gagan Ghuman Secretary,DWWA
- Hits: 4414
All along the roads, in every vacant lot, in the waterways and even in the undergrowth one can see all manner of garbage, piling up, spilling over and fouling the city in its unsightly decay. The filth that surrounds every patch of habitation in the Andamans has even leached into the rainforests and the precious coral reefs. Still there remains a certain, inexplicable, apathy towards it, as if the filth were non existent or perhaps someone else’s problem.
The pristine untouched beauty, fabled to the Andamans, is getting harder and harder to find - everywhere one seems to go the litter follows. It exists in the sea, washed onto isolated islands, tangled in the coral; it exists in the forest, among the trees, in the mangroves, along the ATR.
In the city of Port Blair itself, garbage is to be found everywhere, the most easily found substance on an island where commercialisation is yet to hit!
There seems to have been a well-intentioned ban on plastic bags announced by the local administration in the area, but this ban has neither been honoured, nor regulated or enforced. Grocery shops, vegetable vendors and all other commercial outlets continue to provide plastic carry-bags and consumers continue to demand it.
This is not a letter attempting to point fingers; we are all to blame for this mess. We each need to be conscious of our actions as a community; we cannot blame the administration for not cleaning up our mess. Though the municipal certainly needs to pull up its socks and make a concerted effort in waste management, it is also up to us citizens to keep our surroundings clean. For the sake of pride, if for nothing else!
As residents of Port Blair we need to ensure that we keep our city spotless, we need to be conscious of our actions. It is a matter of great pride when we hear that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are called ‘Mini India’, but what a shame when that term is not meant as a compliment, but to describe how the filth, so familiar in the cities of the mainland, has achieved magnified proportions in this little island city.
To the public, both visiting and resident, we send out this plea - care for the environment, do not spit in public places, please dispose of things properly in garbage disposal bins, do not throw your rubbish onto the road or in a creek or in the sea! If there is a ban on plastic bags in the Andamans, it has been done so for a reason, honour that ban. Refuse plastic bags, carry cloth bags on your person instead, it is a habit which will take a little while to get used to, but will be, in the long term, beneficial to all. To hoteliers and tour-guides, we urge that you inform tourists about the need for proper waste disposal, do not tolerate littering in any fashion, it will transform the face of our island!
We urge the local administration as well as the citizens of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to take concrete steps to beautify Port Blair and other areas of habitation. This does not just include areas like VIP Road and the Marine Drive, but every area - the battered tin roofs that scar the skyline, the rotting, unpainted homes, the tangled mess of wires and cables, the unplanned construction, the overflowing garbage dumps- our towns in the Andamans are soon beginning to look like the slums in Mainland India!
We all need to move around with our eyes open and make changes to our community, tangible changes, changes that can improve the future of these islands and help us stand proud that we are not only an example to Mainland India, in our ability to stand together in communal harmony, but also an example to our country that we can live in harmony with our environment!
We hope that we can all stand together as a community and make a positive difference.
Mrs. Gagan Ghuman
Secretary,
Defence Wives Welfare Association
- Details
- Defence Wives Welfare Association
- Hits: 1397
Many of us do not know where to start, how to make a change, what steps to take. We assume that we are alone in caring or worrying about the environment, we believe that we, as individuals cannot make a difference, and so we fail to act.
2. Let us resolve that we will dispose of our rubbish in garbage bins. Every piece of paper thrown on the street, every toffee wrapper carelessly thrown from a car, every scrap thrown into a gutter is increasing the burden of garbage in our surroundings.
3. Let us resolve that we will not spit or urinate in public places. It is a filthy habit that not only spreads disease but is also embarrassing to our own selves.
4. Let us resolve to leave an area cleaner than when we arrived. If you go to the beach, dispose of plastics in garbage cans, or bring your trash home. If you see plastics on the beach, pick it up and dispose of it properly.
5. Let us resolve to stand together as a community and no longer tolerate filth and littering in our surroundings.
6. Let us resolve to educate our children with these habits.
2. Plastic cups for coffee and beverages are an unbreakable and convenient option, but we must take care that they should be reused as much as possible. Avoid the use of plastic coated disposable paper plates and avoid plastic spoons.
3. When we shop in a convenience store, the shopkeeper automatically gives us a plastic carry bag on purchase of any item, it could be a loaf of bread or a packet of biscuits, we always get a plastic carry-bag to take it home in. We must make a habit of being aware of this; most often we are so preoccupied that we carry out the plastic carry-bag without noticing that we do not really need it! The best thing to do is return the plastic carry-bag to the shopkeeper and carry the item by hand.
4. If you leave your home without a shopping-bag, as a rule, do not accept any plastic carry-bags for items that are already packaged. It may be a one time mistake that you forgot your shopping bag and so had to accept a plastic carry-bag for a vegetable, but packaged items need no such protection. Packaged items are all items that are not sold loose.
5. If you notice that you have accumulated unnecessary plastic in your home (plastic carry-bags, plastic containers that are no longer useful, other miscellaneous plastic items), please donate the same to a plastic recycling plant instead of throwing them out.
6. Reuse you existing plastic bags for garbage bags instead of buying new bags.
If we want better, cleaner surroundings to live in, it is up to us as individuals to maintain cleanliness. If we want a healthier environment for our children, it is up to us as individuals to protect the environment. Let us join together and make a positive change!