THELIGHTOFANDAMANS: SCI: A Whipping Boy?

Monday, March 5, 2012

SCI: A Whipping Boy?

THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | ISSUE 28 | 2 MAR 2012

SCI: A Whipping Boy?

The rift between various agencies is taking a toll with the shipping services in the Islands. Every time there is someone or other to be blamed for all the ills affecting the shipping sector. Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) is alleged to be a necessary evil, which cannot be hounded out, as Directorate of Shipping Services does not possess the Document of Compliance, which a shipping company is expected to qualify for to operate IRS class vessels. Without technical competence, DSS could never qualify and will have to rely on SCI. Blaming it for all its inherent ills is the easy way to chuck out from the responsibility.

To overcome this barrier, ANI Admn was planning to have Andaman Nicobar Integrated Transport Corporation, which would cover sea, land and air transport. It seems that this will remain a pipedream for the Islanders? Last week, MV Kalighat could not sail as the DSS crew refused to go as the Air-condition in their area had failed. SCI could only sail the next day, putting the passengers to huge misery. DSS too critically failed to address the issue and once again the blame was put on SCI. It seems DSS needs a punching bag to hide its ugly and dark marks.

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About The Light of Andamans

The Light of Andamans’ was born out of the zeal and determination to fight against the suffocating Kafkaesque atmosphere on the society that existed even after 30 years of Independence under bureaucratic rule. It was a hangover of the ‘Raj’that extended much too long in the Islands.

The Light of Andamans’ was started in 1975. The paper had always been a crusader, taking up the causes that no other newspaper would touch. In doing so, it very often stepped on the toes of the authorities and had to face persecution in the form of denial of advertisements and numerous court cases against it. For a small stint, the publication came to a halt in 2003.

Gezira Publications Private Limited took over the paper in the year 2005 and transferred the title in a bid to revive the second oldest newsmagazine from extinction and also to carry forward the mission.

The Newsmagazine, under the new management, has undergone a sea change both in form and content. It turned into a full-fledged tabloid with 10 pages with plenty of photographs making both pleasing to the eyes and soothing for the mind. “It has acquired a position where it influences the policies in vital matters concerning the development of the islands, protection of aboriginal tribes and addressing the problems of the disadvantaged groups. The newsmagazine is known and appreciated for its bold, free, fair and balanced reporting.”

Late Govinda Raju and his team worked very hard to rebuild the reputation, goodwill and a healthy new image of the newsmagazine brick by brick. After the demise of Mr Raju in 2010, the magazine is now being edited by Zubair Ahmed and published by Basudev Dass. The newsmagazine continues its mission of highlighting policy issues pertaining to the Islands.