A week before the counting of votes on March 10, the Congress-led Punjab Government on Friday held a meeting to review the situation arising out of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Chaired by the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with his two deputies — Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Om Prakash Soni, the meeting decided on initiating steps to ensure the completion of degrees of medical students from Punjab returning from the war-hit Ukraine.
Chief Minister Channi has also written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring back the remains of the Punjabi student, who had died in Ukraine due to medical reasons. “Punjab Government is hopeful that the Union Government will look into it seriously and bring his body back to India as soon as possible,” said Cabinet Minister Dr Raj Kumar Verka, who was also part of the meeting. The meeting was also attended by Cabinet Ministers Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, besides the party legislators Barindermit Singh Pahra, Harminder Singh Gill, and Kulbir Singh Zira.
Dr Verka, who is also the Medical Education and Research Minister, said that the Chief Minister has decided to take necessary steps for the completion of studies and degrees of the medical students belonging to Punjab. “Following the Chief Minister’s directions, I am in contact with the Union Ministers and Indian medical Association (IMA) to make special provisions for completion of studies of these students,” he added.
The Minister said that the State Government is in constant touch with the Union Government regarding the students of Punjab stuck in Ukraine. “More than 1000 students were stranded in Ukraine, out of which, 75 percent students have been brought back to Punjab and now there are around 300 students who will be airlifted back to India in a day or two,” he said.
Dr Verka said that the meeting also condemned the reports claiming that Punjab Government was not taking any concrete steps in the matter of Ukraine-Punjab students as the entire Cabinet of Punjab was taking serious steps on the issue.
“In this meeting, strong objection was also raised on the termination of permanent membership of Punjab in Bhakra-Beas Management Board (BBMB). Modi Government has once again suppressed the rights of the states and Punjab Government strongly oppose this and will take every step to save Punjab,” he added.
EIGHT STRANDED STUDENTS FROM JALANDHAR RETURNED HOME
Eight students from Jalandhar, stranded in war-torn Ukraine, reached Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, on Friday morning. As of now, the information of 56 students, stranded in Ukraine, have been received at District Control Room setup by Jalandhar Administration; and 16 have been returned safely till Friday afternoon.
On arrival of 16 students of Jalandhar district in two phases, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said that of total 56 students, 15 had already been reached at Poland border besides six at Hungary border, who were also being brought to New Delhi within a few days. Pertinently, four students of the district were in Romania, one in Germany and three in Slovakia, said Thori adding that seven students have reached their homes in district while eight landed at New Delhi and they all were on the way to their homes.
Apart from these, one student has arrived at Amritsar whereas seven were still stranded in Kharkiv and Pisochyn and one in Laviv city, he added. Notably, Jalandhar District Administration was the first one to come out with helpline numbers. The Administration has appealed the families, whose members are still struck in the war-hit Ukraine, to report information at a dedicated round-the-clock control room at district level 0181-2224417 and 1100.