Govt steps in, hope floats for stranded passengers

Nirode Mondal, 80, a resident of Dupenagar of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has been surviving on a handful of cheera parched rice and green chillies for the past few days. His brother-in-law Jiten has eaten only two chapatis. Twelve-year-old Samsher Singh from Bikaner, who sells herbs at Port Blair, would have gone without food had not Kapam Kumar Biswas, the owner of an electronics goods shop in Port Blair, offered him a plate of rice.

Caught in this tussle are also those passengers who had booked their tickets in advance and a number of schoolchildren who were to come home to Kolkata for their vacation.

The state government has begun negotiations with the union and the operator, Shipping Corporation of India SCI. CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said 8216;8216;matters will be sorted out soon8217;8217;. Bankim Bharati, a CITU leader, however, said: 8216;8216;The passengers are suffering because of the cruelty of the management.8217;8217;