02 May 2020  |   05:55am IST

SC directs Centre to bring back Goan seafarers

SC directs Centre to bring back Goan seafarers

The Supreme Court of India has directed the Central government to take appropriate steps to get back over 11,800 Goan seafarers stranded in various parts of the world due to COVID-19 pandemic. The directions were issued in a petition filed by Valencio Rosenberg Rodrigues from Nuvem. The Apex Court, while hearing the matter through video conferencing on April 27, directed the Union Ministry for External Affairs and Ministry of Shipping to take appropriate steps to release the seafarers. The petitioner had prayed that the respondents be directed to take measures to arrange the release of the seafarers held up in different ships at various places and to take measures to bring back Goan seafarers to India due to the threat to their life and health because of COVID-19. The petitioner claimed that there are 11,837 Goan seafarers, working on 74 ships, currently stranded in various countries like USA, Mexico, Dubai, Brazil, Italy. Speaking to Herald, Rodrigues said that the Court disposed the petition following the directions. He said it was only after his petition, which was filed on April 14, that the Centre initiated the process for the seafarers’ sign-in and sign-off.

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar