225 students returned to Punjab from Ukraine so far: Chief Secretary
Darpan News Desk IANS, 04 Mar, 2022 01:25 PM
Chandigarh, March 4 (IANS) As many as 225 students have returned safely to Punjab so far from the war-torn Ukraine, Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari said on Friday.
While directing officials to ensure safe return of the remaining students and other persons stuck in Ukraine, he said the state government is sparing no effort to help the distressed families in this hour of crisis.
Reviewing the status of calls recieved on the state government's dedicated 24x7 control room numbers i.e. 1100 (to call from within Punjab) and +91-172-4111905 (to call from outside India), the Chief Secretary was apprised that 476 calls have been received so far on these numbers and the queries are being immediately forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
He was also informed that 326 affected families have been visited physically by state government officials.
Tewari urged the affected persons and their relatives to immediately contact on the Punjab government's helpline numbers so that they can be provided assistance.
He also appealed the parents and relatives of the stranded persons to ask their children get in touch with the embassy and 'Government of India' officials at border posts and strictly follow the guidelines of the MEA.
Resident Commissioner, Punjab, Rakhee Gupta Bhandari apprised the Chief Secretary that all the necessary arrangements have been made for safe return of stranded students and persons.
She said they are in constant touch with the Indian embassy to ensure that no Punjab resident shall face any kind of problem in returning to their homes.
In a first show of solidarity and strength, Punjab Congress unit's newly-appointed President Navjot Singh Sidhu, accompanying 62 legislators, comprising many state Cabinet ministers, on Wednesday paid obeisance at the Golden Temple here.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the Central government, saying that its wrong decision during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic killed 50 lakh people.
Breaking a long silence on issues ranging from local to national, former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday spoke on diverse issues like the present political crisis in Rajasthan and Punjab and also demanded a free probe on the phone tapping issue.
Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Wednesday said that it has arrested Raj Kumar Khatri, a suave cheat who duped a Canadian citizen of crores of rupees by passing himself as the owner of an upcoming five star hotel.
At least two mobile phone accounts used by Rahul Gandhi were among the 300 verified Indian numbers listed as potential targets by an official Indian client of the Israeli surveillance technology vendor, NSO Group, The Wire has reported.
While Akali Dal boycotted the meeting on the issue of farmers protest against the three farm laws, the Congress said that all the MPs should have been briefed and not only the floor leaders.
