Port Blair, Jan 18: The Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Shri.Kuldeep Rai Sharma called on the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands yesterday and took up some important issues of these Islands.
Among other crucial issues, he requested the Lt. Governor to take up this matter of shortage of ship for Southern Group of Islands with the Ministry of Shipping to give preference to Andaman Ships for Annual Survey in Mainland Dockyards so that the turnaround timing of the ship after Annual Survey is reduced to minimum and round the year at least 50% of the ships are available for Hut Bay and Nicobar District as shipping is the lifeline of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
He informed the Lt. Governor that there is a shortage of ships for Car Nicobar, Kamorta and Great Nicobar Islands.
He said that at present only MV Bharat Seema is available for Car Nicobar sailing while only MV Nalanda is available for sailing for Kamorta and Great Nicobar.
The Member of Parliament added that presently there are eight ships for inter-islands sector viz MV Sentinel, MV Chowra, MV Campbell Bay, MV Nalanda, MV Sindhu, MV Kalighat, MV Bharat Seema and MV Dering but out of these eight ships only three ships are presently operational and sadly out of these three operational ships, the MV Dering cannot be sent to Nicobar District.
He pointed out that when ships from Andaman go for Annual Survey, the ships have to wait for several weeks for dry-dock works, which causes delay in repair of ships and due to which Islanders suffer.
He added that as summer vacation is nearing there is a need to keep more ships seaworthy for catering to the needs of a large number of passengers.