Thiruvananthapuram, March 2 In view of the prevailing tensions across the West Asian region, NORKA Roots has constituted special coordination groups in various Gulf countries to ensure assistance to expatriate Keralites and Malayali travelers abroad.
An assessment meeting chaired by NORKA Roots Resident Vice Chairman P Sreeramakrishnan here reviewed the current situation of expatriate Keralites and the inputs received through help desks, according to an official statement on Monday.
Norka Roots is the state government agency responsible for the affairs of Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs).
NORKA Department Secretary T V Anupama, NORKA Roots Chief Executive Officer Ajith Kolassery, officials of the department, representatives of the Loka Kerala Sabha and NORKA staff attended the meeting, it said.
Country-specific regional vigilance coordination teams have been formed in conflict-affected areas. In addition, NORKA collectives have been constituted to extend timely assistance to those in need.
These groups comprise officials from the NORKA Department, NORKA Roots, members of the Loka Kerala Sabha in respective countries, embassy volunteers, representatives of NORKA-recognised expatriate organisations, social workers and prominent community members, it said.
The coordination mechanism covers the countries including Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
A total of 102 people contacted the NORKA helpdesk and emergency assistance was provided where required, as per the statement.
As many as 54 enquiries were received from Qatar relating to security concerns, travel restrictions, visa issues, accommodation, food and medicines. All cases have been documented and are being monitored, and urgent matters have been addressed, the officials said.
The helpdesk also received 51 calls from Bahrain, 12 from Kuwait, five from Oman, four from Saudi Arabia and two from the UK, mostly pertaining to general enquiries.
To provide counselling services to those in distress, including callers to the NORKA help desk, counsellors have been deployed by the National Health Mission (Kerala), they said.
Expatriate Keralites and their family members may contact +91-471-2430001 or the toll-free number 14416 (within India) round the clock for tele-counselling services. The counselling facility was arranged at the request of NORKA.
In addition to the 24-hour NORKA Roots helpdesk, a control room has been set up at the NORKA Centre, functioning daily till 10 pm.
The control room will facilitate coordination with the Central and state governments, the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian missions abroad.
Meanwhile, the NORKA officials said the Keralite passengers stranded at the Karachi International Airport after flight diversions reached Colombo this afternoon.
They are scheduled to depart for New Delhi by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight at 12.30 am on March 3 and will subsequently travel to Kochi by an Air India flight early Tuesday morning, the statement added.