J&K students demand buses to return home

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 28

Stuck in Mohali district due to the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, students from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) today requested the district authorities to arrange buses for their safe return back home.

The students, who are pursuing different courses in nearby colleges, have been under home-quarantine since March 22. Majority of them are putting up in Sector 80 and Kharar and claimed to have ran out of money.

“We have no money and want to go back home. We have approached the local officials and they ensured to help us out after getting a green signal from the J&K authorities,” claimed Ishfaq, a student of Chandigarh University. “We have been urging the authorities through various platforms, but to no avail,” said Shafayat.

Most of the students belong to Srinagar and Kupwara. “We have been eating food from our own pocket. It’s been long and our parents are also worried. We have heard that students of Himachal Pradesh and other states have also been sent back that is why we are raising this demand,” said Aquib Fayaz.

Besides, there are 10 more students who demanded that buses should be arranged to send for them.

Meanwhile, officials said they have received numerous requests but there is no possibility of inter-state movement right now. “It’s better to be stay at one place in this situation. We have been told that many students/labourers and others, who were allowed to travel out from other states, have been put under quarantine either at Pathankot, Kathua or Lakhanpur,” said Aashika Jain, ADC, Mohali.

She further added, “Almost all quarantine centres are full due to which authorities are facing such problems. It’s not wise to move out at this time. We have been providing food and ration to the needy and we will definitely reach out to those who are in distress. The Mohali Administration stands by all students.” J&K government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said, “We have not received any request as claimed by the students. Let the document first come to us then we will see what we can do.”

“The government is facilitating movement of students and others. However, a large number of people are stranded in various cities. Inter-state coordination is necessary to help them out. At our level, we are facilitating maximum possible requests,” said Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, DC, Srinagar.