The government on Monday announced that it will start evacuating Indian nationals stuck abroad due to Covid-19 lockdowns from May 7.
Releasing a press statement on the issue, the government said, "Government of India will be facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner."
Stranded Indian citizens will be brought back homes via aircraft and naval ships and a standard operating procedure has been created for the same.
Sources have said that Indian citizens will first be evacuated from the United Arab Emirates. Around eight million Indians are living in the Gulf countries and there has been growing anxiety among them over their livelihood in view of the pandemic as it has majorly impacted the oil-driven economy of the region. Some of the Indians in the Gulf want to return home. Almost all Gulf countries have taken a series of drastic measures including imposing total lockdown, travel restrictions and even closing borders to stem the spread of the coronavirus infection.
According to the government release, Indian Embassies and High Commissions are creating lists of distressed citizens in various countries. However, the government has clarified that citizens will have to pay for the service.
The government has added that passengers will be medically screened before departure and only asymptomatic persons will be allowed to board flights. Once the citizens land, they will have to download the Arogya Setu app and will go through another round of medical screening which will be followed by a 14-day quarantine period.
The Centre said that the quarantining facility will also be payment-based and will be the responsibility of respective state governments. Covid-19 tests will be done after 14 days and further action would be taken according to health protocols, the statement said. The Ministries of External Affairs and Civil Aviation will soon share detailed information about it through their websites, it said.
"The state governments are being advised to make arrangements, including for testing, quarantine and onward movement of the returning Indians in their respective states," the ministry said.
Many Indians, including those in senior positions, are stranded abroad unable to return due to non-operation of flights. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is among those stuck in the United States. Various state governments have also made arrangements to bring Indian citizens back home from foreign countries.
EVACUATION OF INDIANS FROM GULF COUNTRIES
India Today has learnt that the first few batches will be from the Gulf nations of UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman; and from the neighbourhood countries like the Maldives, which have a substantial number of migrant workers/labour workforce currently waiting to be repatriated.
Consulate general in Dubai, in a press release said, that there will be two Air India flights on May 7 that will carry Indian nationals from Abu Dhabi to Kochi and from Dubai to Kozhikode on the same day.
“Priority will be given to workers in distress, elderly people, urgent medical cases, pregnant women as well as to other people who are stranded in difficult situations,” said the statement.
Indian High Commission in a tweet said: Repatriation of Indians in Maldives! 1st phase begins on 8 May from Malé to Kochi by Indian Naval ship.
1st lot to include 700
HCI is reaching out to Indians who wish to travel on Compelling Grounds (medical emergencies,pregnancy,stranded tourists,job-lost migrant workers)”
More than 60 non-scheduled, commercial or special flights will carry out the evacuation operation along with the Indian navy providing support in faring people back through the sea route wherever possible.
EVACUATIONS FROM US, UK, SINGAPORE
The second batch of evacuations will take place from countries like US, UK, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines.
Ministry of Health in briefings during the past two weeks has been highlighting and emphasising the importance of “home quarantine” to prepare the country for the massive influx of people from outside.
In a tweet, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said the state is “hoping to meet the challenge of more than 5 lakh Keralite migrants returning home”, which is indicative of the fact that the State is acutely aware of the huge numbers that Kerala would be receiving from abroad, particularly from Gulf nations.
India banned arrival of international flights beginning March 23. The 21-day lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 in a bid to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. It was first extended till May 3 and then again till May 17.