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UAE-based group requests Indian govt for 10 special flights for stranded Malayalees

Dubai - The KMCC has appealed to the government of India for landing rights.

The UAE Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), a community group in Dubai, has submitted a request to the Government of India to charter ten special flights carrying stranded persons from UAE to Kerala.
Puttur Rahman, president UAE KMCC National Committee told Khaleej Times the KMCC has decided to charter these flights to transport stranded workers from the UAE to alleviate the distress caused by the shortage of evacuation flights to Kerala.
The KMCC has also requested the government to increase the number of evacuation flights from the UAE.
Though the government of India has announced 13 flights to Kerala on the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission, the KMCC believes the current volume of flights is not enough to meet the overwhelming demand from stranded citizens.
According to the KMCC, there are over 30,000 people who are in dire circumstances. "They need to leave as soon as possible," said Rahman.
KMCC has also agreed to foot the flight tickets of the needy passengers.
"We have written to the Indian Minister of State for Civil Aviation with a request to permit the landing of these chartered flights at Kerala's four international airports - Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur," said Rahman. Letters were sent to the Dr Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs, and Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan.
"Yes, the volume of flights in the second phase has increased. But almost 200,000 Indians have registered, and the most vulnerable among them are pregnant women in the final stages of their pregnancy, visit visa holders, and unskilled workers," he added. The applications were sent by AP Shamsuddin bin Muhammad, chairman of the UAE KMCC Advisory Committee and Puthur Rahman.
Rahman said, "The priority list will be compiled in consultation with the Indian Embassy in the UAE and taking into account the special difficulties and sufferings faced by the persons in the queue as well as their financial condition."
Among the persons anxiously waiting for a flight to Kerala are Ebrahikutty Ussainar, a machine operator in Fujairah who has brain cancer, and Abdul Samad Nazeer Khan, who suffered a stroke and is wheelchair-bound.
"There are several persons who had come to the UAE on a visit visa and do not have the resources to remain in the country indefinitely. They have been surviving on the charity of well-wishers and Indian associations for nearly two months, and they are desperate to return home," said Rahman.
Among the stranded Malayalees is Daniel Chellapan Samuel, a 75-year pastor from Thiruvananthapuram, who arrived in Dubai on a week-long visit, and is clueless about how to get home. "There are also a large number of pregnant women who are in urgent need of medical consultation. Jashiya Banu Moyan is pregnant and accompanied by a child. She came on a visit visa and was unable to return," he added.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com