The State government has asked Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to persuade Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to lift the ban on travellers from India.
Only Bahrain and Qatar allowed travellers from India. Hence, Keralites employed in other GCC countries had to fly to Bahrain and Qatar from Nepal or Sri Lanka. They had to undergo a 14-day quarantine before travelling to their workplaces in other GCC countries.
GCC countries have not recognised Covaxin as an effective vaccination. The WHO has not approved the vaccine. Many Indians had reached Kerala after receiving the first dose of Pfizer or Sinopharm vaccine. However, they could not return to their workplaces in the Gulf because the vaccines were unavailable in India.
Hundreds of Gulf workers were stranded in Kerala, unable to return to their workplaces. They felt their livelihood threatened. Hence, the Central government should address the issue urgently.
