Hyderabad: Amnesty for overstay in UAE ends on Aug 18

Hyderabad: This is a golden chance for those stranded in the Gulf countries to return home under amnesty. The ones who have been overstaying would not be tried in court, they would not have to undergo a jail term and no penalty would be imposed. But there is a glitch. The Regional Passport Office in Hyderabad needs to furnish the details.

Several applicants are queueing up at the Regional Passport office with requests to expedite the process as the amnesty ends on August 18. Neela Rajavva, wife of Neela Yellaiah of Chinthamanpalli village in Domakonda mandal in Kamareddy district, along with her daughter Sunanda who was an infant when her father left, approached the Regional Passport Officer on July 27 and are waiting to get the details of the passport. Sunanda said, "I have not seen my father and yearn for him. We spoke to him last week. I want my father back. Jain Seva Mission there is ready to arrange the return ticket. The Passport officer just needs to give us the details."

Like her father, there are many Indians stranded in UAE, says Bheem Reddy Mandha, the president of Emigrants Welfare Forum and member of Pravasi Mithra Labour Union in Telangana. He adds, "There are 15 lakh workers from Telangana and 3 lakh from the Old City of Hyderabad in the Gulf countries. Many for various reasons have turned into 'Khallivelli' (irregular resident). They have no passport and cannot leave the country. The Amnesty is a chance to return to their homeland but the authorities need to help."

Last week two women-Hajera Begum and K Sujatha had to stay at the Dubai Airport Terminal-2 for a week and survived with the help of passengers of other flights who gave them food and money. Thanks to Friends of India volunteer Surathani Malla Reddy took them out of the airport on July 22, and took them to the Indian Consulate in Dubai, where they explained their plight to embassy officials. The Indian Consulate in Dubai provided a free ticket to Hajera Begum. Rupesh Mehta, of Jain Seva Mission, provided a free ticket to Karupota Sujatha.