PANAJI
Goan students stranded in Ukraine have been given hope and confidence after the Commission for NRI Affairs assured them that efforts are afoot to evacuate them and bring them safely back to Goa.
When contacted, Director for NRI Affairs Anthony D’Souza told The Goan on Monday that nine Goan students stranded in Ukraine have contacted them till date.
“We have given them guidance and help to cross Ukraine borders. Three students from Goa have been able to cross the Ukraine border and reach a shelter home in Romania,” said D’Souza.
“One student is still in the process of crossing Ukraine-Hungary border and since there is heavy rush, he has to cross the border on foot. It will take him at least four hours to cross the border.”
D’Souza said those who are still in Ukraine are in shelter homes at 3-4 places.
“Shortage of buses, huge crowds and bombing have made crossing the border difficult. It is very a risky matter. Our Embassy officials are giving them support and guidance.”
D’Souza informed that groups of Indian students are crossing borders in coordination with Indian Embassy officials.
“There are also plans to cross Ukraine’s border and proceed to Hungary and Poland. These are separate routes. One route is blocked as the Chernobyl nuclear site is already occupied by Russian army and they are blocking the way.”
“There is one group of girls and we are also concerned about them,” said D’Souza.
Meanwhile, the director for NRI Affairs phoned Jaeden Gomes Pereira (19), one of the Goan students stranded in a bunker in the conflict zone at Sumy-Ukraine, on Sunday evening to enquire about his condition, said Jaeden’s mother Anita Misquita Gomes-Pereira of Benaulim who traces her roots to Aldona.
“D’Souza asked Jaeden to hold on for a few days and they would evacuate them. This call from D’Souza gave Jaeden a lot of hope. I'm grateful to D’Souza for contacting Jaeden, as it gave him confidence amid this trauma and ordeal he has has been encountering on a daily basis.”
A state table tennis player who has represented Goa, Jaeden is a second-year veterinary science student who along with some students from Kerala and Tamil Nadu has been pursuing education at the Sumy National Agrarian University in Sumy-Ukraine, and is currently seeking shelter in a bunker near the university.
“Jaeden is the only Goan there in Sumy. Jaeden and other Indian students are facing hardships because they are in bunkers most part of the day and night. The sound of bombs just above them is terrifying. They have food water for two days now,” said Anita.
Jaeden’s father Onofre Gomes Pereira said Jaeden and other students are patiently awaiting evacuation, which is difficult at the moment since the Indian embassy told them earlier to make their own arrangements to come to the border.
“But with continuous bombing and the dangers of war, curfew and martial law it's difficult for them to move to the west along the border in Poland. Hence, the evacuation is delayed and the Indian embassy has told them to remain there in their familiar places as a group,” said Onofre.
Collectors to contact families
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
District collectors in the State are expected to contact family members of students stranded in Ukraine, to update them on arrangements being made to evacuate them.
In a tweet on Monday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated: “On PM's direction, the cabinet secretary spoke to chief secretaries about the union government's efforts to bring Indians back from Ukraine.”
“District Collectors have been requested to contact family members of students and keep them informed of arrangements being made,” the tweet added.
