“Please Sir, help us to return to India from Australia as some of us are on tourist visa and we have family in India waiting for us and visas are also expiring, plz do something (Sic),” Iqbal Singh wrote on Twitter.
“Sir, is there any plan to evacuate Indians stuck in Australia. It is seen that Australians have been flown out of India. Any arrangements in reverse direction? Kindly keep us updated (Sic),” posted another twitter use, Pawanjit Singh.
These are some of those numerous tweets that have been posted to the High Commission of India in Australia. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of Indians, who are not able to go back to their homes in India due to the lockdown and travel restrictions, are waiting for the Indian governments to bring them back.
Highlights:
- Some states in India are taking steps to bring their citizens back from the other countries.
- Thousands of Indians are stranded in different parts of the world due to lockdown.
Now some state governments in India have taken steps to bring their citizens back from the other countries.
Goa has begun the registration process of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) of Goan origin, including those who are stranded out of India and wish to return to India.
People from Goa stuck in different countries can complete a form on the NRI Commission of Goa website if they wish to return to India.
Australian passengers waiting to board the charter flight out of India amid coronavirus lockdown. Source: Supplied
“Glad to inform that, today Goa NRI Commission has begun the registration process/assistance of NRIs of Goan origin,” tweeted Narendra Sawaikar, Commissioner for NRI Affairs, Goa.
Similarly, the southern state of Tamil Nadu has created a web portal - www.nonresidenttamil.org - for NRI Tamils to register their interest to return.
“The web portal has been created with a view to know the number of NRI Tamils who wish to return to Tamil Nadu immediately and to create isolation facilities for such persons,” said an official statement by the Government.
Nationwide lockdown
The Indian Government had put the entire nation under lockdown on 22 March, and international commercial flights were banned. This ban is until 3 May, and people are hoping for relief in the restrictions after that.
“I want to say once again that flight restrictions that are in place as a result of India’s fight against COVID19 will be lifted once we are confident that spread of the virus has been controlled & it poses no danger to our country & people,” India’s aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said last week.
However, people stranded outside India hope for a better response from the Government.
Ram Tiwari is stuck in Australia and wants to go back home. He has lost his job and says life is tough without resources and any income. He says Government of India should bring people like him back home as soon as possible.
“Rather than putting a ban on flights government should think about the quarantine facilities for stranded citizens outside India. They should plan on facilities to make people travel their home who are stranded in different countries,” Mr Tiwari said.
Sydney-based Ram Tiwari arrived in Australia on a work visa. He has lost his job and wants to go back to India. Source: Supplied
The Australian Government has facilitated commercial flights from different cities in India to help bring home thousands of Australians who are stranded in India due to coronavirus lockdown.
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People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others and gatherings are limited to two people unless you are with your family or household.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor, don’t visit, or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
