Over 3,000 NRIs from Punjab, Haryana give dubious details on quarantine forms

Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 5

The Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, has traced over 2,500 NRIs in Punjab and about 1,000 in Haryana who had given dubious information about their addresses and contact details while filling the quarantine forms.

Regional Passport Officer Sibash Kabiraj, IAS, said, if such people remained untraceable and if the state police requested the cancellation or impounding of their passports, the office will issue a show-cause notice to the passport-holder.

“If the explanation offered by such a person is not found satisfactory, we will impound the passport on the basis of recommendation of the state police,” he added.

Since two months, the law enforcement authorities of the two states had been visiting the Regional Passport Office with a new list every time.

“Last week too, the Mohali police visited the office with a list of 40 or 50 foreign returnees who had filled wrong information in the self-declaration form,” informed Kabiraj. “So far, we have helped the police in tracking down over 3,500 people in the region who had given incorrect details in their self-declaration form—2500 from Punjab, 1000 from Haryana,” he shared.

While returning from the foreign countries, those visiting India were required to give a self-declaration at the airport along with their contact numbers, address and an undertaking of being self-quarantined for 14 days.

Passport Kendras in green and orange zone to open

The Passport Seva Kendra of Ambala will be opening tomorrow along with all the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) in Haryana and Punjab. “Those passport kendras that are located in the green and orange zone will be opening tomorrow,” Kabiraj said.

Since Chandigarh’s Passport Seva Kendra is in the red zone, and over 1,400 applicants visit there every day, it will remain closed till May 19.