Altogether 32 persons from Assam stranded abroad have sought Dispur’s help to return home.
In the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on March 20 announced $2,000 monetary relief for those from Assam who had travelled abroad in the past 30 days and were now “stuck” with no means to return home.
“As of now, 32 persons stuck abroad are in touch with us. We are processing their request for transferring funds and examining their eligibility. We are on the job,” Sarma said here on Friday. Those stuck abroad can write to the government with a copy of their stamped passport.
Two engineering students, Unnayan Pathak, 22, of Barpeta and Jandeep Barua, 21, of Guwahati, who are now stuck in Birmingham, UK, told The Telegraph that they had e-mailed to the government and it had responded but they were yet to receive any monetary help. “We are facing a lot of problem like food and funds crisis with lockdown imposed in the UK. We contacted the Assam director of technical education and Edupacked (an Assam-based agency). They assured us of help but we are still stuck here,” Pathak said.
The duo went to the UK to attend the winter overseas fellowship programme at Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, under a government scheme.
The plight of those stranded in India is no different.
Amal Jyoti Chaliha, 31, an Udalguri youth stranded at Omalloor town in Kerala, has run out of ration. He told this correspondent that his food stock was depleting and he could not replenish it as he did not have enough cash in hand.
Chaliha, a daily wage labourer for a ring construction company, said, “I am taking only one meal a day. I have a bit of mustard oil, about half a kilo of rice and a couple of potatoes. I don’t have money in hand. Although I have a functional bank account, I don’t have an ATM card. My company’s owner and my relatives in Bangalore are willing to send me money but it won’t help as I cannot go to the bank out of fear. Police are patrolling outside and I may not be able to explain because of the difference in language.”
Chaliha, who went to Kerala six months ago, is now regretting his decision. “My co-workers left for their homes as they got confirmed train tickets. My ticket was not confirmed, so I thought I would leave after a few days. This 21-day lockdown is taking a heavy toll on me,” he said, desperately hoping for Dispur’s intervention.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a letter to Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque on Thursday, said, “We share your concern about the workers who have migrated to Kerala. We consider them as our guests who help in building our state.” He said clear directions had been given to district collectors to take into account every need of the “guest workers”.
