No doctors unless you are on deathbed: China tells stranded Indian sailors
Maritime Administration, the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of External Affairs and that they were getting complete cooperation from the government authorities who were talking with their Chinese counterparts to resolve the stalemate.
Abdulgani Serang, general secretary of NUSI, told The Sunday Guardian, “We have taken up the matter with the highest authorities in India and the Indian embassy in Beijing is also aware of the matter. They are in touch with the Chinese authorities. But the problem is that China is not allowing the crew to de-board and enter China, citing the Covid-19 issue. The Chinese government should allow them to land on Chinese soil so that a crew change can be made possible by the shipping companies, which the companies are ready to make. And the shipping companies have already made alternate arrangements, but China is blocking it.”
Serang further added that the shipping companies were providing regular food and water to the crew members and were taking proper care of the crew members.
“Food, water and their salaries are well taken care of by the companies and I am in touch with the companies as well as the onboard crew. I have also spoken to the crew members recently; we are also providing them with psychological counselling to boost their morale so that they remain in high spirits,” Serang said.
The Sunday Guardian also reached out to the Great Eastern Shipping Companym, which owns the Jag Anand ship, for a response on this report, but did not receive any response until the time the report went to the press.