Excelsior Correspondent
KARGIL, Apr 1: Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), LAHDC, Kargil Feroz Ahmad Khan has urged the Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to take required measures for the evacuation of the remaining Ladakhi pilgrims from Iran to India at the earliest.
In a letter to the Minister, the CEC while expressing his gratitude for the evacuation of around 600 stranded pilgrims of Ladakh who have already reached the country in the course of the past one month appreciated the facilities being extended to them by the Government of India at their respective quarantine centers.
The CEC stated that in times of crisis, the Ministry of External Affairs has stood true to the commitment to the citizens of our country. He said that considering the immense duress on the Iranian authorities and their resources in dealing with COVID-19 outbreak in their country, the LAHDC Kargil is extremely concerned about the well being of the 250 pilgrims who had tested positive for COVID-19 there around a month ago, and appeal the Minister of External Affairs for their evacuation at the earliest.
Feroz Khan stated that a number of volunteers who had also stayed back to look after the COVID-19 positive patients are learnt to be hale and hearty with no major signs and symptoms of the virus even after a passage of a month time. However, since many of them are aged and have other ailments like diabetes, the stressed medical system in Iran is not in a position to give them proper healthcare facilities.
The CEC appealed the Minister for External Affairs to evacuate around 300 pilgrims currently left out in Iran and said that since they have already completed the quarantine period, they may be re-tested on their arrival in the country and the persons testing negative may be allowed to move back to Ladakh where they may be kept under quarantine if required under the set protocols.
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