More than 1,000 Indians stranded in Tanzania following COVID-19 pandemic have sought the intervention of Indian government for their repatriation.
Representatives of the Indian diaspora in the East African nation alleged that the Government of India and the Indian High Commission in Dar Es Salaam were yet to respond to their plea for repatriation.
Rajan Pandya, a native of Vadavalli in Coimbatore who has been doing advertising business in Dar Es Salaam for 12 years, told The Hindu over phone that the Indian diaspora came together through WhatsApp groups and contacted the Indian High Commission for intervention multiple times. They also produced a list of people who sought repatriation.
In its letter to the High Commission, the diaspora forum named Indians in Tanzania said that that it was in talks with Air Tanzania and the airline was ready to fly if the Indian Government and the High Commission nodded for the same.
The 1,000-plus Indians who live in Tanzania are from most of the Indian States and union territories.
“We are ready to bear the cost of repatriation and the cost of quarantine upon reaching India. This was conveyed to the High Commission,” said Mr. Pandya, who wanted to be with his wife and two children in Coimbatore during the pandemic.
Stranded Indians also plead for help through Twitter, tagging handles of Prime Minister of India, Home Minister, Minister of External Affairs and other prominent leaders.
Manoj Kumar Nehara, a stranded Indian from Sikar, tweeted that COVID-19 was spreading across African countries and he wanted to return to India.
Tagging Indian authorities, Ravi Shah, a native of Vadodara, tweeted that there was no lockdown in the country and community spreading was very high.
“We often get alerts in groups that our people die of COVID-19. However, reports on the rate of infection and death toll do not seem to be factual in Tanzania,” said Mr. Pandya, who was apprehensive about the capabilities of the African nation in COVID-19 management.
A mail sent by The Hindu to the Indian High Commission in Dar Es Salaam did not fetch reply when this report was filed.