Island Tourism Festival begins in Andamans

Port Blair, Jan 8 (UNI) The much awaited Island Tourism festival began today in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with the lighting of lamp by the Lt Governor Lt General (Retd) Bhopinder Singh here this evening at ITF ground.

Speaking on the occasion Lt Gen Singh promised islanders that all tsunami related development work will be finished by the end of 2007. He also promised to oversee all the development and rehabilitation work by himself.

The 14-day long event is usually organised in December every year but this year the event was organized in January. Only in 2004 the administration could not organised the ITF because of tsunami disaster but from 2005 the ITF was back.

Beside famous artists and poets, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration would also invite nearly 300 cultural and folk dance artists from Mainland India to perform in ITF, for which the administration has already tied up with the North, South, West and East Zone Cultural Centers.

Bollywood stars like Udit Narayan, Anu Mallick and Johny Lever are expected to perform during the ITF.

UNI