Thiruvananthapuram: Several Keralite students have been stranded in countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia after travel bans were imposed in these countries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a video message on Tuesday, Keralite medical students in the Philippines narrated their ordeal and made a fervent appeal to bring them back.
In the video, students also said essential items were not available and they were finding it difficult to even buy food after their college hostels were shut.
Though they have booked tickets for Wednesday's flights, their parents feared that these could cancel any time. The Philippines had ordered all foreigners to leave the country within 72 hours on Tuesday. Those who commenced their return from the country were stranded at the Kuala Lumpur airport in neighbouring Malaysia after flights to India were cancelled.
On Tuesday night, the Government of India gave nod to bring back people stranded at the Kuala Lumpur airport. The permission was given to fly back the students to Delhi and Vishakhapatnam on Air Asia flights.
After India's Health Ministry issued the order on the travel ban on Tuesday morning, the flights of Air Asia and Malaysian Airlines had stopped services from Kochi that night itself. India has also imposed a ban on travellers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia from 5.30pm on Wednesday. However, the services were suspended without any prior notice on Tuesday itself.
Jose K Mani, MP, had sought the immediate intervention of the Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the issue.
Meanwhile, Thrissur District Collector S Shanavas said that the video message of the students was brought to the notice of the state government.
Isolation facilities near airports
Meanwhile, extra accommodation facilities are being identified as a precautionary measure. District Collectors have taken steps to identify buildings near the four international airports in the state. The plan is to accommodate 10,000 people there if the need arises to isolate them.
Vacant college hostels, as well as defunct hospital buildings and hotels near Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram airports, are on the lookout.
Buildings to accommodate 5,000 people at Thiruvananthapuram have already been found.
Steps are also being taken to accommodate at the Southern Naval Command headquarters in Kochi, the 200 people who have arrived from countries that have already reported COVID-19 cases.
The Centre has instructed that Gulf-returnees should stay indoors.
Modi talks to Saudi royal
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman over the phone on Tuesday. Both decided that G-20 nations should take coordinated steps to counter COVID-19, similar to the efforts being made by SAARC.
Currently, Saudi Arabia holds the G-20 presidency.
