Margao: Goan seafarers are questioning their government as they witness other nations taking their seafarers back while Indians continue to remain in uncertainty. As Indians remain stranded they have taken to various platforms of social media to vent their anger.
The Founder President of the Goa Seamen Association of India (GSAI) has urged the Indian government to take a decision, keeping the stranded Indian seafarers stranded in mind to allow a window period after April 14 when the initial lockdown period gets over. He said that this will help the Indian seafarers to come home and reunite with their families
Stranded seafarers continue to point out what other governments have been doing. For instance, they refer to a recent announcement wherein the Australian Government is helping the Indonesian and Philippine seafarers head to their homeland with the permissions of their governments.
“As we all are aware that our Indian seafarers are stranded all around the world and until now there is no hope for them to return or any communication when they will be allowed to enter India. I would like to inform you that The situation is worse as of now all the other countries have airlifted their citizens and only Indian citizens are left behind and this has caused a lot of mental stress on our seafarers. Also the US government has directed that all cruise ships must leave the US shore immediately and no cruise will be allowed in the next 100 days in US waters as per the latest US Coast Guard message to the cruise lines,” said Dixon.
Dixon further added that the US Government had issued guidelines to the cruise lines that only chartered flights will be allowed to take the crew back to their countries, which are stuck on board and will not allow them to use a commercial public aircraft.
“I urge the Chief Secretary of Goa to appraise the PM’s office well in advance before the PM addresses the nation on April 13” requested Dixon.
“The Centre should take into consideration on humanitarian grounds that Indian seafarers are stranded outside the country and stuck in the ocean, for many days without basic food and water,” he added.
