Repatriation of Indians: Ailing individuals, pregnant women to get priority

Ailing individuals and pregnant women will get priority when the repatriation of stranded Indians begins, Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) president A P Manikantan has said.

He made the observation while speaking to Gulf Times Monday after the Indian government announced that Indians stranded abroad would begin returning to their country from Thursday.

The ICC comes under the aegis of the Indian embassy in Qatar.

It could be recalled that the Indian embassy had recently started collecting data about people requesting repatriation to India. Manikantan said several Indian nationals have registered with the embassy to avail of the facility and the final details are awaited.

“We are taking stock of the situation and waiting for the final details. According to the information available, there are a good number of people registered for travelling to India for various reasons. However, priority will be given to the sick and pregnant,” he noted.

The final list of people who intend to travel "will be ready in a day or two", according to the official. "Accordingly, we will make the travel arrangements," he added.

The Indian government Monday said it would facilitate the return of Indians stranded in different countries on compelling grounds in a phased manner from May 7.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs made the announcement, informing that the travel would be arranged by aircraft and naval ships and a standard operating procedure has been prepared in this regard.

Indian embassies and high commissions are preparing a list of distressed Indian citizens and the facility would be made available on payment basis, according to a statement issued by the ministry.

According to the statement, "Non-scheduled commercial flights would be arranged for air travel and the travel would begin in a phased manner from May 7."

It is learnt that a large number of Indians from Qatar and other GCC countries have registered with various embassies/high commissions and other government agencies, such as the state-run Norka-Roots in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Since the announcement of the lockdown in India from March 24 midnight, all international flights were stopped, leaving Indians in foreign lands stranded.

Source