NT NETWORK

Panaji

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said  the Centre has finalised standard operating procedures  for bringing stranded Indian seafarers back to the country.

The state government is expecting concrete action in this regards within next three  to four  days.

Sawant told reporters at his official residence on Wednesday evening that he has already spoken to officials of the Union ministry of home affairs and other central government’s authorities on the seafarers issue, adding that the Union ministry of shipping has already released SOPs  to the home ministry as regards repatriation of the stranded Indian sailors. 

According to the Chief Minister, the seafarers will be brought back to the country in three phases.

In the first phase, 3,000-odd Indian seafarers, who are stranded in ships near the Indian coast, will be brought to Indian ports by sea route.

In the second phase, which may take eight to 10 days, nearly 15,000  seafarers who are in the deep sea will be brought to Indian ports.

A decision about those who are not onboard the ships but landed on foreign shores will be taken in the third phase.

Sawant said that he had detailed discussions with Union Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on  the matter.

He claimed that family members of seafarers were not “arrested” but taken to the collector’s office.

“The seafarers families who came to meet me were not arrested but were taken to the collector’s office for an explanation of  the situation.  They were later sent home,” Sawant maintained.  

The Chief Minister also asserted that no list of seafarers has been shared with the government or the nodal officer.