Mumbai, March 4 The Centre has advised states not to undertake individual evacuations of those stranded in the Gulf due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, as this would lead to chaos, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the legislative council on Wednesday.
He emphasized that efforts are being intensified to safely bring back the stranded individuals.
"After residents of Maharashtra got stuck in the Gulf, the state government suggested that it would bring them back. However, the Centre said that if all states were to act in a similar manner, it would lead to chaos. Moreover, the airspace is also not safe. State-owned airlines can undertake a safe journey, and arrangements are being made accordingly," Fadnavis said.
He said that the state government was informed that the evacuation process should be carried out only by the Centre.
"The Centre has advised the states that it will evacuate those stranded in the Gulf countries. So, we are not proceeding with this. The Centre has begun the process. The situation will ease in the next two to three days," Fadnavis said.
He added that Air India has started operating flights in a staggered manner to bring back the stranded individuals.
Given that some airspaces are closed and a few others are operational, efforts are being made to ensure safe evacuation wherever possible, the chief minister said.
He said that since the conflict began, the government started receiving messages from stranded tourists and contacted the Ministry of External Affairs.
"The MEA has activated embassies. Everyone was asked to contact the embassies. We were aware that this was not sufficient. So we deputed Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan for this work," Fadnavis said.
Explaining the ongoing multi-level efforts, Fadnavis said a WhatsApp number has been activated, and people are contacting the government.
"Marathi communities in the Gulf have been activated, and the government is maintaining contact," he added.
He appreciated Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for taking the initiative to bring back the stranded individuals.
Shinde had arranged two aircraft to bring 164 stranded people from the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
Fadnavis added that the state government is assessing the kind of intervention necessary to save perishable agricultural produce stuck in containers at ports.