More flights for Iran, Italy likely: Officials
NEWDELHI/SRINAGAR: More evacuation flights will be operated to Iran and Italy, the two countries worst affected by Covid-19, people familiar with developments said on Tuesday against the backdrop of reports that some 250 Indians had tested positive for Coronavirus in Iranian cities of Qom and Tehran.
The flights, to be operated from Wednesday, will focus on bringing back students and pilgrims in Iran, who have tested negative, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. Those who tested positive will be treated in hospitals in Qom or Tehran, the people added.
India will also operate at least one or two flights in the coming days to bring back students who have tested negative in Italy, the people said. There are no plans currently to operate evacuation flights to other Covid-19-affected regions, they said.
According to a list shared by pilgrims stranded in Qom with others in Kashmir, 254 pilgrims and students have purportedly tested positive for Covid-19. The list includes details such as names, passport numbers and PNR numbers for flights.
Faced with questions about the list at a news briefing, additional secretary Dammu Ravi, the external affairs ministry’s pointperson for all Covid-19-related issues, said: “I cannot confirm whether it [the list] is authentic or not or the veracity of facts that are there. But we have to expect, given the situation in Iran where the virus is widespread, that there can be some cases.”
Ravi insisted Indians in Iran are being “very well looked after” by the embassy in coordination with the Iranian government. “All Indian pilgrims in Iran are safe and they are in the good care of the mission, the ambassador is showing personal interest and the mission is taking care of all their needs,” he said.
The Indians who reportedly tested positive are from a group of around 840 pilgrims from Kargil and Leh. Some 170 of them are in 15 hotels in Qom and the rest in Tehran. Their samples were collected by a team of Indian doctors currently in Iran and the results were delivered on March 15, their relatives said.
Sajjad Kargili, a social worker from Ladakh, told HT he was informed 254 people from Ladakh tested positive. “The pilgrims are staying in hotels of Qom and in the absence of any facilities. They are going for self-isolation as they wait to be evacuated. Unfortunately, the Indian embassy in Tehran is not doing anything.”
Most of the stranded pilgrims were booked on flights between
February 28 and March 10. “After the Indian government cancelled flights from Iran, they had nowhere to go. Their visas have expired and they have no money left,” he added.
A delegation from Ladakh comprising religious scholars, leaders and civil society activists is camping in Delhi to press for their evacuation. The delegation met external affairs minister S Jaishankar and it was decided pilgrims who tested negative will be evacuated in batches.
“It’s unfortunate that after some people tested positive, the Indian embassy did nothing to segregate them. From today [Tuesday], they have started segregating them,” said Feroz Khan, chief executive councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. “An evacuation flight by Mahan Air will bring back some of the Indians on Wednesday. We are trying to arrange requisite clearances for more flights,” said a person aware of developments.