Negative Covid-19 certificate not required during registration: NORKA director

A negative Covid-19 certificate is not required for non-resident Keralites who are registering to return home to Kerala on the Norka Roots website, said Norka Roots director O.V. Mustafa.

"The government is putting in place a mechanism to test all returnees upon arrival. There is no need for them to furnish a negative certificate," Mustafa told Khaleej Times. Furthermore, Emirates is also conducting on-site rapid tests for all passengers at the airport.

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Norka Roots, the Kerala government's welfare body for non-resident Keralites, launched a website to accept registrations from non-resident Keralites wishing to return home following the end of the nation-wide lockdown in India.

Since its launch on Sunday, approximately 100,000 Malayalees have registered on the website in a span of 12 hours.

Mustafa said, "The registration form asks applicants if they have already done a test, but there is no mechanism on the website to upload a copy of a negative Covid-19 certificate either. Applicants only need to furnish their basic details as per the website requests."

He explained the registration process is a data collection exercise for the government to gauge the needs of the people who wish to return. "The government is thinking ahead. It is looking to create proper infrastructure to ensure smooth transit at the airport whenever it opens up. Just to understand what are the needs of the people, and to take an exact account of how many want to return to Kerala," he explained.

Apart from full name, passport and visa status, the form also requests district and panchayat details of the applicant. NORKA is also taking asking applicants to provide a reason for return. Senior citizens, pregnant women, expired visit visas, release from prison, loss of jobs, annual vacation, children separated due to lockdown, and students returning after their education are some of the priorities for repatriating stranded Indians, said Mustafa.

"We have asked for home addressed, panchayat and district details so that it doesn't create any chaos in the coming days," Mustafa added.

dhanusha@khlajeeitmes.com