the goan I network
MARGAO
The village panchayats of Seraulim and Sarzora in Salcete taluka have joined the chorus for demanding the early and safe return of the Goan seafarers who are stranded at major ports across the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sarpanchas of Seraulim Domingos Fernandes and Sarzora Sabita Mascarenhas dashed off separate letters to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant with a plea to get the seafarers back home.
In his letter, the Seraulim Sarpanch pointed out that his village has more than 500 households, which have seafarers of which currently more than 100 seafarers, around 1000 OCI holders, besides other category of Indians are stranded in different countries all over the world.
“We are in constant touch with the seafarers and others in distress due to the lockdown. We know many are running out of basic necessities and more so they are uncertain of their return back home,” the letter stated.
The Seraulim sarpanch insisted that the government needs to airlift people, who are OCIs too, the way other countries have done for their own nationals and quarantined them for a stipulated number of days.
“We understand that your office has initiated the appropriate measures to bring back our stranded nationals, which we appreciate. As a representative of the village, I request you to pursue this matter on top priority so that repatriation of seafarers and other nationals, including the OCIs of our state, is arranged which will end the unwarranted mental torture for them as well as their families,” the Seraulim sarpanch said in his letter to the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Sarzora Sarpanch Sabita Mascarenhas has urged the CM to look into the issue of seafarers and take necessary action, including arranging the safe return of the stranded seafarers to their homeland at the earliest.
