Press Release
Embassy of India
Doha
PRESS RELEASE
EMBASSY OPEN HOUSE – 31 JANUARY, 2016
The monthly Open House to address urgent consular and labour issues/cases of Indian nationals in the State of Qatar was held at the Embassy on 31 January, 2016. Ambassador Sanjiv Arora, Deputy Chief of Mission R.K. Singh and other officials met all the complainants, discussed their problems and assured them that the Embassy would actively follow up their cases with the authorities concerned in Government of Qatar. Mr. Arvind Patil, President of Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), an active community association working under the aegis of the Embassy for the welfare of Indian workers, also attended the Open House.
An Embassy team visited the Central Prison and Deportation Centre this week to enquire about the welfare of detainees from India. The total number of Indian nationals in the Central Prison and the Deportation Centre currently is 90 and 172, respectively.
During the current year, the Labour and Community Welfare Section of the Embassy has received a total of 369 complaints so far. The number of complaints received during 2015 was 4132.
The number of deaths registered in the Embassy in January, 2016 is 19. The number of deaths registered during 2015 was 279. The same number of deaths were registered during 2014 also.
On the basis of requests received from Qatari authorities for travel documents for Indian nationals in the Deportation Centre, the Embassy has issued 22 Emergency Certificates (ECs) in January, 2016. The Embassy also issued 18 air tickets to Indian nationals in distress for their return to India in January, 2016.
Indian Community Benevolent Forum [ICBF] continues to help Indian workers through various welfare measures, including provision of air tickets, financial assistance and medical help. The assistance given by the ICBF to Indian nationals during January, 2016 includes 4 air tickets for destitute workers.
Ambassador inaugurated a free Medical Camp, organized by lndian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) with the support of the Embassy and in association with Indian Doctors Club and Aster Medical Centre for low-paid workers of Indian as well as other nationalities at the Aster Medical Centre premises in lndustrial Area in Doha on 22 January, 2016. Nearly 400 workers benefited from the Medical Camp at which voluntary service was rendered by several Doctors and paramedics; Indian community organizations; students of Indian Schools and Embassy officials. Ambassador interacted with a large number of workers and volunteers. An official of National Human Rights Committee of Qatar was also present at the Camp. During the Medical Camp, webcast of the programme of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas [PBD] celebrations held in New Delhi on 9 January, 2016, including the address of Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs [EAM] and EAM’s Q&A Session with Indian diaspora, was screened in continuation of the PBD event organized by the Embassy in cooperation with apex community bodies in Doha on 9 January, 2016. The Embassy also operated a ‘Help Desk’ to attend to any urgent consular and labour issues of the workers.
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