EDITORIAL: Happy Vacation, Admn!

THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | VOL 35 | ISSUE 29 | 16 MARCH 2012

EDITORIAL:

Happy Vacation, Admn!

The Administration was virtually on vacation last week with the Lt. Governor, Chief Secretary, Secretary Shipping, Secretary Education, Secretary to LG and a horde of Directors, Special Secretaries and Supt Engineer (SE) either on leave or on vacation in the mainland. There was a time when only Jalaj Srivastav, CS-in-Charge and Secretary, Power was left to hold the system when the Administration was locking horns with Suryachakra Power Corporation Ltd (SPCL).

In an unprecedented move, the Lieutenant Governor took a huge coterie on a foreign trip to Germany. The team comprised of Secretary to LG, ADC, Director, Tourism and staffs of tourism and industries.

During the same period, South Andaman including Port Blair was reeling under prolonged load shedding and acute water shortage, and the press note warfare between Admn and SPCL had taken a very dirty turn with both parties indulging in mudslinging against each other.

Another move that took everyone by surprise was the austerity drive directed by the Administrator that all lights except bare minimum security lights should be de-energised in the compound of Raj Niwas. He also had directed the Admn to take similar steps in respect of all other official buildings. He wanted lights at public parks to be reduced by de-energising the alternate lights, and to curtail street lighting without compromising the overall safety of the public.

It is heartening that the Administrator from Germany felt the need to send a message to the Administration that the first step has to be taken by the head of the family. However, Raj Niwas has its own powerhouse and does not share power with the grid. The solidarity with the suffering subjects is indeed a positive step.

More heartening is the news that the Admn will have about 20 MW capacity of its own by July 2012. What we could not do in 10 years, we are capable of doing it in just 3 months. In firefighting mode, we leave no stone unturned, and that too when 85% of the Admn was on vacation.

In December 2011, the Chief Secretary in a conversation with college students had promised that the water crisis will be a matter of past in six months.  We have another couple of months to see the promise fulfilled.

When the Admn was on a vacation, citizens in South Andaman could not wait and openly came out on the streets peacefully protesting the power cuts during this month, when students are appearing for Board examinations. There were other protests and street meetings by Left and Right parties, whereas Congress was once again caught napping unaware of the burning issues of the general public.

Anyway, the Administrator too relies more on God for good governance rather than his Administration, let's also pray to Almighty to save the Islands from water crisis. Lets wish the Admn a Happy Vacation!