Thiruvananthapuram: Keralites in the Gulf countries are agitated over an order of the state government making a COVID-19 test certificate showing negative result mandatory for travel to the state in chartered flights. They point out that charges for conducting the test in Gulf are steep and the process time-consuming, making their return to Kerala more difficult. Some among them also allege that this order of the state government is part of an agenda to prevent their arrival in Kerala.
The order was issued by K Ellangovan IAS, Principal Secretary, NORKA (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) and applies to passengers arriving by chartered flights from Gulf starting June 20.
The overall infection rate among returnees from the Middle East has risen to 3 per cent, with returnees in some of the countries reporting as high as 6 per cent infection upon arrival in Kerala, the letter says while stressing on the importance of testing.
There is widespread protest against the order as even passengers who travelled to India in ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ flights were not tested for COVID-19.
Office-bearers of organisations of non-resident Keralites in the Gulf countries said that the order should be withdrawn. “In UAE, the test for COVID-19 costs around Rs 7,000, which many Keralites in that Gulf country cannot afford to pay. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, it takes 2-8 days for the result of the test to be ready. This makes meeting the Kerala government’s condition for producing a test result within 48 hours of departure impractical,” they said.
