KATHMANDU: The government has started homework to repatriate Nepalis stranded abroad due to coronavirus lockdown.
High-Level Coordination Committee for the Prevention and Control of COVID-19 has started formulating modalities for the repatriation of Nepalis stranded abroad and wanting to return home.
A meeting of the committee held at Singha Durbar on Tuesday stated that homework has been started to prepare an action plan by discussing issues of Nepalis stranded abroad and criteria of quarantine.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Secretary to the Prime Minister and Office of the Council of Ministers Narayan Prasad Bidari said that homework has been started to prepare an action plan to bring Nepalis from India and third countries.
He said that an action plan is being prepared on how to repatriate them in a systematic manner.
He informed that the committee is mulling to ready a plan to bring back the Nepalis from abroad in a phased manner.
A large number of Nepalis living abroad want to return home. Up to 2.6 million Nepali migrants are estimated to be in the Gulf, Malaysia and Korea and many have lost their jobs due to coronavirus lockdowns in those countries.
Even after various countries including India have started rescuing their citizens, the government is being criticized from all quarters as Nepali citizens are still stranded. Many Nepalis have been stranded along the Nepal-India border.
Earlier, the Supreme Court (SC) has issued an interim order to the government to evacuate Nepalis who have been rendered jobless and having a hard time meeting daily needs in foreign countries.
Secretary Bidari informed that the issue of organizing the quarantines set up by provinces and local levels according to the prescribed criteria was also discussed in the meeting of the committee.
He said that an action plan is being prepared to ensure the safety of the quarantine personnel and keep records in the presence of the Nepal Army under the leadership of health workers.
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