Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 13 September 2025
Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has urged the Administration to right away resolve the long-pending quarry allotment points in Little Andaman and different areas, warning that the stalemate has crippled Panchayat-level improvement for greater than 5 years.
Raising the matter strongly, the MP recalled that quarrying at Hut Bay was permitted till 2018, supplying moorum and different supplies to APWD, ALHW, and Panchayat Samitis for infrastructure works. However, because the suspension of quarry allotments in 2018, Panchayat our bodies have been compelled to depend upon expensive imports from Port Blair and the mainland, resulting in stalled tasks and lapsing of funds.
Mr. Ray additionally flagged a disparity in administrative norms: whereas APWD is allowed to arrange estimates underneath DSR-2023, the Engineering Wing of RD/Panchayat stays sure by DSR-2021, creating value escalations and discouraging contractor participation.
Citing official findings, the MP famous that an NGT crew and IIT Kharagpur have confirmed adequate quarry and moorum reserves in Little Andaman, topic to environmental clearance. The Revenue Department has already sought clearance from the Forest Department, which remains to be pending. Similar quarry-related hurdles, he stated, persist in North & Middle Andaman and Campbell Bay.
He additional expressed concern that Panchayat Samitis, already weakened after their earlier abolition and subsequent revival in 2022 with the intervention of Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah, proceed to stay ineffective because of lack of sources and administrative help. “At present, the Samitis are functioning only in name,” Mr. Ray remarked, warning that PRI members might face public backlash within the upcoming elections regardless of being powerless to execute works.
Calling the state of affairs a “serious lapse” on the a part of the Administration, Mr. Ray demanded:
1 Immediate clearance from the Forest Department and restoration of quarry allotments to Panchayat Samitis.
2 Adoption of the prevailing DSR by the RD/Panchayat Department, according to APWD, to make sure uniformity and clean challenge execution.
He burdened that resolving the difficulty is crucial within the bigger public curiosity, as improvement underneath Panchayati Raj Institutions and the welfare of islanders have been held hostage for over 5 years.
