The Lok Sabha MP from Lakshadweep, Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed, called on Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and requested his support and cooperation in providing advanced healthcare facilities for the islanders; accommodation facilities for them during emergencies and disasters; better vessel service options to the island from Beypore and help to prevent drug trafficking into Lakshadweep.

Mr. Sayeed is the president of the Lakshadweep Pradesh Congress Committee and the union territory’s sole Lok Sabha representative. Pointing out the unique and endearing relationship between people of Lakshadweep and Kerala spanning generations, Mr. Sayeed requested the State’s help in providing timely, affordable and quality super speciality healthcare services to the islanders

He pointed out that the islanders routinely travel to Kerala for advanced treatment — oncology, cardiology, neurology, nephrology and emergency care — mainly at government hospitals in Ernakulam, Kalamassery, Kottayam and Kozhikode and that many of them are going through serious financial hardships.

Mr. Sayeed requested the Chief Minister to to set up a dedicated help desk or nodal facilitation centre at these hospitals to assist with admissions, referrals and treatment coordination and that the State ensure adequate hospital beds and ICU capacity for Lakshadweep patients.

Temporary accomodation

The petition also raised the issue of temporary accommodation for islanders — students, workers, patients and tourists — during floods, cyclones and other emergencies when sea transport is disrupted. Mr. Sayeed pointed out that most of the Lakshadweep administration’s guest houses in Kerala have been outsourced to private operators and are no longer readily accessible.

Mr. Sayeed has also raised the issue of connectivity between the islands and the Beypore port in Kerala, which plays a key role in the transportation of essential commodities, food supplies and commercial cargo to the islands.

He has sought Mr. Satheesan’s intervention in strengthening the port infrastructure to enable enhanced cargo handling as well as the restoration of the long-discontinued Beypore–Lakshadweep passenger vessel service, which he said has caused hardship for students, patients and senior citizens in Lakshadweep.

He has requested the State to coordinate with the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Lakshadweep administration on this front.

Lastly, commending Kerala for Operation Toofan, the anti-narcotics campaign of the State, Mr. Sayeed requested that the scope of the campaign be extended to Lakshadweep. He said that in recent years, there has been growing concern over attempts by drug trafficking networks to introduce narcotic substances into the islands via maritime routes.

Intelligence sharing

He called for stronger intelligence-sharing among the Kerala Police, Excise Department, Coastal Police and Port Authorities to dismantle trafficking networks which were smuggling drugs into the islands

He also suggested that the islands be included in Kerala’s proposed port-to-port cargo and passenger connectivity initiative, as it would strengthen maritime links, boost tourism and trade, and support the islands’ broader economic development.

Mr. Sayeed expressed confidence that the new UDF government would continue Kerala’s “long-standing tradition” of cooperation and support to the island community and that the Chief Minister would consider his requests favourably.