Indian post releases cover on Nicobarese Tribals

Port Blair, Oct 11: Indian Post has released a special cover on the introduction of vegetable cultivation among tsunami hit Nicobarese tribals of Andaman and Nicobar islands at a function held here today.

Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration Shumsher K Sheriff released the cover during the inauguration programme of District Level Philatelic Exhibition ANPEX-2006.

For the first time vegetable cultivation has been introduced in Nicobar Group of islands after tsunami and this cover is to honour Andaman and Nicobar Administration's efforts, G Madhumita Das, Director of Andaman and Nicobar Postal Department, told reporters during the exhibition.

Ms Das said four stamps were also released today during the programme on four rare postures of Mahatma Gandhi. These stamps were released by the Development Commissioner of Andaman and Nicobar Administration Janak Dugal.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands were badly hit by tsunami waves affecting almost the entire Nicobarese tribal community. Most of the islands of Nicobar groups had suffered the maximum brunt of tsunami, ravaging all infrastructure and flattening huge coconut plantation, on which the Nicobarese tribal community used to survive.

Now under post tsunami rehabilitation measure the Andaman and Nicobar Administration together with local Agriculture department is trying hard to teach members of Nicobari tribal community about vegetable cultivation.

The Chief Secretary stressed upon encouraging school children about stamp collection. He also extended his special congratulation to all the postmen, who actually are the backbone of the postal department.

''They are the people who carry letters to every corner of this country, including far flung islands of these tsunami ravaged archipelago,'' Sheriff said.

UNI