There seems to be no headway in evacuation of Kashmiri students stranded at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
A batch after 53 students- 50 from Kashmir and one each fromUP, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh returned from Iran in mid-March and werequarantined at Jaisalmer.
After testing negative for COVID19 and completing theirquarantine time, the students are now demanding their evacuation to Kashmir.
“After completing our quarantine period, our samples wereagain taken and we tested negative for COVID19,” said a student over phone.
The students said the civil administration at Jaisalmer andJ&K administration was continuously delaying their evacuation.
“We fail to understand, why we are still being kept here ifall of us have tested negative for COVID19 and have completed our quarantineperiod?” asked another student.
The student said they were given different versions by theadministration on their evacuation. “We feel these are all delaying tactics todelay our return to Kashmir,” the student said.
He said recently they were shifted to an army camp atRajasthan to continue their stay there in view of the ongoing lockdown.
“They come up with all kinds of excuses to delay ourevacuation. At times they tell us J&K administration hasn’t given clearancefor our return. Then, there are times, when they say administration inJaisalmer is not issuing NoC for our evacuation,” said another distressedstudent.
An official at the quarantine centre at Jaisalmer said theywere pushing the case for evacuation of the students, but there was no responsefrom civil administration at Jaisalmer.
“The authorities were approached by our (Army) nodal agency,but there is no update on their response,” an army officer said wishing not tobe named.
While the students demanded they should be airlifted, theauthorities have decided to send stranded students by road which has resultedinto a confrontation.
“Yesterday, we came to know that some exercise is being doneand if at all we are allowed to travel to Kashmir, we will be sent by road in abus. But we demand that J&K administration should ensure to airlift us astravelling a long distance will be exhaustive process,” the student said.
The students said the J&K administration in consultationwith Rajasthan government and civil administration at Jaisalmer shouldfacilitate their return.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, PandurangKondbarao Pole saidthere was no confirmation about return of the students.
“There are chances that the students may or may not arrivein Valley on April 17. Nothing is confirmed yet,” he said without commenting onwhether the students will be airlifted or will travel by road.