Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) President Altaf Bukhari on Monday urged the government of India to operate direct flights from UAE and Saudi Arabia to Srinagar to evacuate stranded residents of J&K.
In a statement, Bukhari said there were around 1,000residents of J&K stuck in Dubai and around 700 people were unable to returnto their homes from Saudi Arabia, because of the COVID19 lockdown.
“These stranded peopleincluding businessmen, employees and labourers have already submitted theirtravel details to Indian embassy in both the countries and are waiting forhelp. I solicit personal intervention of Union Home Minister to orderoperationalization of direct flights from Dubai and Saudi Arabia to Srinagar sothat these helpless citizens are able to return to their homes without anyfurther delay,” Bukhari said.
Similarly, he said hundreds of J&K residents mostlystudents were stuck up in Germany, Netherland, France, Spain, Ukraine,Thailand, Turkey and central Asian countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Moscow and were waiting for evacuation by theirrespective Indian embassies.
“Whileit is highly appreciable that special flights were operated to evacuate J&Kstudents from Bangladesh, the same facility be extended to other J&Kresidents who are stuck up in other countries as soon as possible,” saidBukhari.
TheJKAP President also demanded that all J&K residents evacuated fromdifferent countries be kept under quarantine in their home state and not delaytheir return by subjecting them to the mandatory process in New Delhi.
“Also, there are someJ&K residents especially patients stuck up in Mumbai and other parts of thecountry who are ready to bear the airfare to return their homes. Such strandedpeople should be facilitated with special flights for their early evacuation,”he said.
The JKAP President urgedthe Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu to order evacuation of labourers, tourists andtraders of different states of the country stranded in various parts ofJ&K.
“Thepace of evacuation of these migrant labourers who are stuck up in bothdivisions of J&K be expedited by pressing into service more special trainsto ferry them to their homes,” he said.
Similarly,he demanded immediate shifting of inhabitants of Gurez who are stuck up invarious parts of Kashmir, particularly Bandipora, Kangan and Srinagar.
“Thousands of residents ofGurez who routinely migrate along with their families from their homes toSrinagar in search of livelihood and education in October-November are strandedhere because of COVID19 lockdown. These stuck up families need to be shifted totheir homes on priority basis,” the JKAP President said.
He said most of the students, labourers, patients,attendants and vendors from Gurez were running short of money in Srinagar anddespite repeated submissions they have not been extended any help from theauthorities concerned.
“Predominantly,these families belong to farming community and have a limited crop season inGurez. Usually these families would return to their homes in the first week ofApril to start their farming activities and also arrange feed for theirlivestock,” Bukhari said. ‘
Hesaid any further delay in their return can prove detrimental to theirlivelihood and that irreversible loss can get incremented by delay in theirreturn.
He demanded special bussesto ferry these stuck up families to Gurez.
Similarly, Bukhari demanded evacuation of residents ofJ&K stranded in Leh.
“These stranded people havereportedly written to the authorities concerned long back for their evacuationbut unfortunately have received no response so far. These hapless strandedpeople have no option but to go for unapproved travel or agitate because ofimmense difficulties faced by them. I appeal the LG-led administration toarrange their safe return as soon as possible,” he said.