Laid off, short of money, 300 Punjabis stuck in Dubai await repatriation
Services of most of the them were terminated in March and are surviving on savings since
AMRITSAR : Nearly 300 people from Punjab, who are stranded in Dubai after they lost their jobs due to the coronavirus-induced recession, are eagerly waiting for their repatriation.
These men, majority of whom were working as valet drivers in hotels and were laid off in early March, are now staring at shortage of money and food as they have not earned a single penny in the last 90 days.
Talking on phone to HT, some of them said they went to Dubai to earn money due to the bad financial condition of their families back home, but now they are passing though a terrible time. They demanded that the ministry of external affairs to ensure their early return as their condition is worsening by the day.
Some said they had applied for their return at the Indian embassy in Dubai around twoand-a-half-months ago but have not got any response. “We need immediate help or it would be catastrophic for us,” said 33-year-old Gurpreet Singh, who went to Dubai one-and-ahalf-years ago.
“Services of around 50 Punjabis working in my company were terminated in the first week of March. Though we have been provided with accommodation by the company, we have not earned a single penny since,” Gurpreet added.
“My wife is in the last stage of pregnancy. Her cesarean delivery is scheduled on Sunday. She somehow managed to go to her maternal home. I have a 5-yearold son to take care of,” said Daljit Singh, 37, from Philaur town in Jalandhar district.
Navtej Singh (41) from Hebowal area in Ludhiana said he could not even attend the funeral of his father who died in May 5.
Harnarinder Singh of Mohali said flights were arriving from India under the Vande Bharat Mission, but they are evacuating the workers of other states. “The Punjab government should intervene in this matter,” he demanded.