NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, MARCH 29
The sixth batch of 275 Indian nationals mostly students and pilgrims have been evacuated from coronavirus-hit Iran to New Delhi on Sunday, a Defence spokesperson said.
#IndianArmy #KonarkCorps #ArmyWellnessFacility #Jodhpur Fun & Games. Another batch of 275 arriving on 29Mar fm Iran #COVID19 @indiatvnews#MoDAgainstCorona @ANI @SpokespersonMoD @adgpi @PMOIndia @TOIIndiaNews @MoHFW_INDIA @PIBJaipur @AkashvaniAIR @DDNewslive @drajaykumar_ias https://t.co/wzzjgHaaA2 pic.twitter.com/fiRgPh1qRk
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) March 28, 2020
The evacuees who are students and pilgrims from Ladakh and Kashmir will be quarantined at the Indian Army Wellness Facility Centre in Jodhpur of Rajasthan.
According to Wing Commander Puneet Chadha, Defence PRO, Gandhinagar, “The Army has activated a second Wellness Facility Centre in Jodhpur.”
Government focusing on bringing back Indians from coronavirus-hit Italy, Iran: EAM Jaishankar
Incidentally, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had informed the Rajya Sabha on March 11 that the government was focusing on bringing back Indians stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy and Iran after screening them.
Making a suo moto statement on the Indians stranded in Iran due to coronavirus, Jaishankar said the situation in Italy and Iran was “a cause of great concern” and the government is making all efforts to bring back Indians after appropriate testing and screening.
The minister said Iran and Italy have an extreme situation and the government was “focusing on those countries where coronavirus is strong”.
माननीय प्रधान मंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी की भारतीय वायुसेना के सार्जेंट पीके ढाका चिकित्सा सहायक के साथ बातचीत। सार्जेंट ढाका चीन के वुहान में सी-17 बचाव दल का हिस्सा थे। भारतीय वायुसेना ने #COVID19 के कारण वुहान में फंसे लोगों को सुरक्षित निकाला था।@PMOIndia @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/IYqq0Go64p
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 28, 2020
Noting that the disease has spread to about 90 countries, Jaishankar said if the government starts the process of bringing back Indians worldwide, then it will only add to the panic.
Video Courtesy: PIB (DEFENCE)
India only intervened in Wuhan, China and brought back Indians, Jaishankar said.
He informed the House that over 6000 Indian nationals in the various province of Iran are stranded which includes about 1,100 pilgrims mainly from the union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra.
Discipline, a way of Armed Forces life. No crowding while buying groceries will keep us safe against #COVID2019 #CoronaMuktAwam pic.twitter.com/G2Xxg7BqsZ
— PRO LEH (@prodefleh) March 28, 2020
He said there are nearly 300 students primarily from J-K, about 1,000 fishermen mainly from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and others who are on longer-term stay in Iran for pursuing their livelihood and religious studies.
Video Courtesy: PIB (DEFENCE)
Jaishankar said the government would first focus on bringing pilgrims to India from Iran and then students.
He pointed out that infrastructure situation in Iran was stretched.
The minister said the fishermen were located in those parts of Iran which were not much impacted by coronavirus.
“The situation in Italy is now emerging as a cause of great concern,” Jaishankar said.