The Mini India

K. Yadagiri Rao Bengaluru, Nov. 19: In India, journalists face serious physical, legal, and digital risks, with 2 to 3 reporters killed each year and many more threatened, assaulted, or criminally charged under laws like the UAPA. Local and freelance journalists, especially those in rural or conflict-affected regions such as Bastar or Kashmir are particularly vulnerable, and cases like the 2025 death of reporter Mukesh Chandrakar highlight the dangers. Journalists critical of powerful actors encounter online harassment, mob attacks, raids, and legal intimidation, and are sometimes branded “anti-national.” Impunity remains widespread, with many attacks or murders unresolved, contributing to India’s low 2025 World Press Freedom Index ranking of 151/180. Structural pressures including political influence, legal weaponisation, and concentrated media ownership, further undermine press freedom, leaving protections uneven despite constitutional guarantees. These challenges mirror global t...

To preserve the aesthetic appeal, the above old photo has been sourced from ANDAMANTOURISM.ORG.IN.   - K Yadagiri Rao Port Blair, July 23: If someone asks us the exact meaning of the phrase "from bad to worse," we now have a glaring example - the Chatham to Bambooflat Bridge. What was once promised as the Chatham to Bambooflat Bridge during election campaigns has now deteriorated into a crisis surrounding the Haddo to Chatham Bridge itself. The Government had assured the public of constructing a bridge connecting Chatham to Bambooflat, as part of election promises. But in reality, it has even failed to maintain the existing Haddo - Chatham Bridge. A headline in Andaman Sheekha dated February 16, 2015, reads - "Nitin Gadkari promises crucial bridges for Andamans: Work for construction of Bambooflat - Chatham Bridge within 8 months: Gadkari." Ironically today, authorities are only allowing two-wheelers to pass on the approximately 150-meter-long Haddo - Chatham Bridge...

- K Yadagiri Rao Port Blair, July 09: Over the past decade, the Government of India, through the Digital India initiative, has largely succeeded in transforming most systems into digital ventures, such as eProcurement, GeM, and other online platforms, even within administrative and general communication systems, increasingly relying on social media platforms. However, amid this digital shift, the general public remains largely unaware of the ongoing developmental works around them. Departments across various sectors now invite bids for supply, construction, and maintenance solely through platforms like eProcurement, GeM, and similar portals, without publishing notifications in newspapers or any other public domain. As a result, only the bidders and concerned department officials are informed about what is being procured, when it is happening, and who is executing the work. In many municipal wards and panchayats, people are left clueless about where to report issues, whom to conta...

New Delhi: Tribal communities in Great Nicobar are not opposed to development but lack sufficient information about a proposed mega infrastructure project on the island, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) member Asha Lakra has said. The project, titled Holistic Development of Great Nicobar, involves the construction of a transshipment port, an international airport, a township and a power plant over more than 160 sq. km of land. This includes around 130 sq. km of pristine forest inhabited by the Nicobarese, a Scheduled Tribe (ST), and the Shompens, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), whose population is estimated to be between 200 and 300. In an interview with PTI, Ms. Lakra said she led an NCST team to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from June 5 to 7 to review the issues faced by the tribal communities. She said the Commission held a detailed meeting with representatives of all tribal groups, including the Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Nicobarese and Shompens...

- K Yadagiri Rao Port Blair, June 25: The print media in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is facing an existential crisis as the digital transformation of government communication pushes traditional newspapers to the margins. Once considered the Fourth Estate of democracy, local newspapers are now on the brink of collapse, receiving little to no support from the public, local administration, or even the Central Government. Over the past decade, the NDA government has adopted a digital-first approach, promoting citizen engagement through official online portals and platforms such as Twitter / X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. These tools have facilitated direct communication between the public and various ministries, but at the cost of sidelining mainstream media, especially print. Local journalists, many of whom have devoted their lives to reporting from the grassroots, now find themselves without a viable livelihood. "We entered the field to strengthen democracy, but toda...

- K Yadagiri Rao Sri Vijaya Puram, June 4: The people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continue to endure significant inconvenience and financial losses due to the irregular and inadequate electricity supply provided by the Electricity Department. Despite repeated assurances and policy commitments by the Government of India, uninterrupted and quality power remains a distant dream for island residents. Electricity is vital for modern life, empowering households, businesses, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. It illuminates homes, fuels appliances, and sustains operations across all sectors. However, in South Andaman, the erratic power supply is causing widespread disruption in daily life and economic activities. "There's no fixed schedule for power cuts-day, night, midnight, early morning, evening-you name it. Hours-long blackouts are frequent, and many of our electronic appliances have been damaged. Who is responsible for compensating us for these los...

- K Yadagiri Rao Port Blair, April 02: A United States national has been arrested for illegally attempting to access the highly restricted North Sentinel Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The accused, identified as Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, son of Victor Polyakov, and a resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, was taken into custody following an investigation by local authorities. According to official sources, the case was registered based on a complaint filed by the Tribal Welfare Officer under PS Crime & Economic Offences FIR No. 10/25 dated March 31, 2025. The charges have been framed under Sections 14 and 14(A) of the Foreigners Act, 1946, read with paragraph 3 of the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, along with Sections 7 and 8 of the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes (PAT) Amendment Regulation, 2012, an official press release says. Violation of Strict Restrictions North Sentinel Island is home to the Sentinelese, one of the world's last un...