As many as 225 students have already returned safely to Punjab so far from Ukraine, Punjab Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari said on Friday.
Asking officials concerned to ensure safe return of the remaining students and other people stuck in Ukraine, he said that the state government is sparing no effort to help the distressed families in this hour of crisis.
Reviewing the status of calls received on the State Government's dedicated 24x7 Control Room numbers i.e. 1100 (to call from within Punjab) and +91-172-4111905 (to call from outside India), the Chief Secretary was apprised that total 476 calls have been received so far on these control room numbers and these queries are being immediately forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), GoI for ensuring safe and secure evacuation of persons stranded in Ukraine. He was also informed that 326 affected families have been visited physically by the state government officials.
Resident Commissioner, Punjab Rakhee Gupta Bhandari apprised the Chief Secretary that all the necessary arrangements have been made for safe return of stranded students and persons. She said they are in constant touch with the Indian Embassy to ensure that no Punjab resident shall face any kind of problem in returning to their homes. ADGP Public Grievances and state Nodal Officer of the dedicated 24×7 Control Room MF Farooqui informed that the students who have returned back from Ukraine thanked the state government for making efforts for their safe evacuation.
Principal Secretary Home Anurag Verma, Principal Secretary General Administration and Coordination Vivek Pratap Singh, ADGP Law & Order Naresh Arora, State Transport Commissioner Vimal Setia and other senior officers of the state government also attended the meeting.
10 MORE STUDENTS FROM HARYANA RETURN
Ten more students from Haryana returned from war-torn Ukraine on Friday and were provided assistance by the state government in Mumbai on their arrival, the state authorities said. According to an official statement, officers deputed at a help desk in Mumbai gave each of them an air travel ticket and a cash of Rs 1,000. So far, the helpdesk in Mumbai has facilitated 19 students belonging to Haryana. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has assured the students and their families that with the cooperation of the Central government, all citizens stuck in Ukraine would be brought back safely. All necessary assistance is being provided to the students returning from war-torn Ukraine through the help desks set up by the Haryana government at Mumbai and Delhi Airports, the statement added.