Students in Ukraine: Punjab CM Channi shoots off letter to Jaishankar

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday urged Union Minister of External Affairs Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to make necessary arrangements for safe evacuation of Punjabis stuck in war-torn Ukraine.

24x7 control room set up

In a bid to provide help to distressed families, the Punjab Government has set-up a 24x7 control room for stranded Punjabis. An official spokesperson said affected persons or relatives could call helpline ‘1100’ (from Punjab) and +91-172-4111905 (from outside India) for relevant information. The queries would be forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs for safe evacuation. TNS

Harsimrat shares list of 56 students

Former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday urged External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of Punjabi students in Ukraine as well as their safe passage to India. She shared a list of 56 students studying in various colleges of Ukraine.

In a letter, the Chief Minister stated a number of students and other Punjabis were stranded in Ukraine. Channi further pointed out their parents and family members were worried about their safety in the wake of the ongoing conflict.

Besides, the stranded persons in Ukraine were facing problems such as lack of shelter, cash crunch, etc. He requested the Ministry of External Affairs to further intensify efforts to explore all diplomatic channels to ensure safe and secure return of such persons to India.

Meanwhile, Congress MP from Amritsar GS Aujla has written to PM Narendra Modi, seeking fast-tracking of the method to grant visas by Indian Missions abroad.

Aujla said it had come to notice that foreign nationals at Indian Missions abroad were facing problems in obtaining visa due to certain new norms, quota restrictions or poor infrastructure.

He said behaviour of certain officials with foreign nationals was not “cordial”. In 2019, the government granted 2.9 million e-visas and 3.2 million regular visas, while the numbers were 2.5 million and 3.5 million, respectively, in 2018. However, the number of e-visas granted to foreign nationals registered a decline. —

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