New Delhi: Mortal remains of more than hundred Non-residential Indians (NRIs) are stuck in the Gulf due to the COVID-19 lockdown regulations, but the nod given by the central government to facilitate this has given hope to the relatives.
The Centre on Saturday gave in principal consent to bring back the bodies, by sticking to regulations outlined by the Health and External Affairs ministries.
The airport authorities have to follow protocols laid down by various government agencies.
As per unofficial data, more than 150 bodies are stuck in the Gulf while relatives were making all efforts to flow them back.
Twenty-seven dead bodies are in mortuaries in Dubai alone.
Many dead bodies of Keralites that were embalmed and taken to the Dubai airport could not be flown back as the special permission of the Home Ministry was needed.
One dead body brought to Dubai airport had to be shifted to the mortuary after two days.
Two bodies in Kuwait and one in Qatar also were sent back.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan told Manorama the mortal remains can be repatriated by following the Health Ministry's stipulated guidelines.
There has been a lack of clarity on the guidelines for bringing back bodies on cargo aircraft. Emigration authorities abroad had sought clear guidelines as commercial airlines were grounded and only cargo and emergency services were being flown.
Bringing back dead bodies on cargo planes was always a contentious issue for the authorities and an emotive one for the kith and kin of the deceased in Kerala.
The authorities normally do not encourage transporting human remains of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases as a lot of issues including the 28-day monitoring of the personnel handling the remains and disinfection of the designated aircraft has to be done.
The issue acquired a political hue with the opposition Congress accusing that the Kerala state and union governments were not taking steps to address the issue.
The Gulf region accounts for nearly three million expats from Kerala, which gets a major share of its revenue as remittances from abroad.
Bringing back Keralites stuck abroad, especially in the Gulf, is also another issues that the state and central governments are looking into.
The union cabinet secretary held a video conference with al states and sought the preparations taken by the states for this.
Many expect commercial flights to be given the nod to bring back stranded expats even if the lockdown is extended. The repatriation of those in the Gulf would be the top priority in such a scenario as it accounts for the largest chunk of Indian expats abroad. The largest number of Indian expats, among the eight million expats in the Gulf Cooperation Countries, are in the United Arab emirates.
There have been only four COVID-19 related deaths in Kerala, while more than forty Keralites have died abroad.
It is not clear if all the deaths of Keralites reported during the lockdown period abroad are COVID-19 related.
