Hyderabad: Gulf migrants plea falls on deaf ears

Hyderabad: Ever since the Government of India launched the Vande Bharat Mission on May 7 to repatriate Indians stranded abroad due to the Covid-19 pandemic thousands from Telangana landed in Hyderabad, close to 20,000 to be precise, but just one-third received the free quarantine facility.

A majority who returned are construction workers and from the unorganised sector. Many who went to the Gulf with good jobs were duped by agents and stayed on doing menial jobs and as a result had no money to buy a ticket.

With no savings and jobs, several who landed at the Hyderabad Airport are being taken to hotels for a seven-day quarantine but the government is not paying.

For instance, Jakkula Thirupathi, Passport No. U-0456596 of Mancherial went to Dubai, UAE in search of livelihood two years ago. He could not get the driver's job as promised by the company, so worked as a construction labourer.

Stranded in Dubai for the last four months without work he struggled for food, accommodation and lived on the streets.

He borrowed money from known persons for an air ticket and finally landed in Hyderabad on August 10. He was quarantined at Hotel Silicon Ville at Gachibowli.

Thirupathi says, "We submitted a petition for financial assistance of Rs 8,000 to pay the quarantine charges at the Tahsildar and Executive Magistrate, Jannaram Mandal, Mancherial District. I want to go back to my village to my family as soon as possible."

Bheem Reddy Mandha, President, Emigrants Welfare Forum, says, "The Maharashtra and Kerala governments facilitate the transport for migrant returnees. Here the Government withdrew the free quarantine facility resulting in untold misery.

These migrants do not have money and have landed here by borrowing money for air tickets. He further adds, "They again are asked to go in for self-isolation for another 14 days once they reach their village. The Government should reach out to the needy."

What migrants want

• Flights to Hyderabad from the Gulf countries are charging approximately Rs. 20,000

• As on August 13, under VBM 46,488 passengers arrived in Hyderabad in 285 flights from 30 countries

• So far, the govt provided a free quarantine facility for 5,353 migrant workers

• The government has withdrawn the free quarantine facility

• Charter flights from the Gulf to Hyderabad are costlier than Vande Bharat Mission flights

• Governments of Kerala and Maharashtra are allowing home quarantine