JEDDAH — A welfare initiative was taken last month by Indian Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai to hold monthly Open Houses in order to help the community, provide a platform to voice their grievances and have a one-to-one interaction with the Consul General. The Open House was held for the second time in the Indian Consulate on Thursday. The Indian community has received this initiative with huge interest and hopes. The response and presence of about hundreds of Indians in need of the consulate's help was testimony to their faith in the ongoing welfare activities being conducted for its citizens by the consulate. Apart from Kidwai, who himself was available to hear, guide and direct the needy Indians, Consul (Labour), Prabhat K. Jain, Consuls (CW), S.R.H. Fahmy and Raj Kumar, Consul (Consular), Pranav Ganesh and Vice Consul (ppt.), C.D. Jeyakumar were present to help them redress their grievances. While a majority of the grievances received by the consulate pertaining to those related to Haroob problem, there were cases related to work-contract violations committed by the sponsors with regard to excess work-hours, less or nonpayment of salaries or threatening their employees not to enter or work with any other employer in Saudi after leaving them on exit. “We have no locus-standi to intervene in Haroob cases,” the consul said, adding that the helpless Indian workers are suffering for no fault of theirs. He told them they have received complaints from these workers who have been declared Haroob by their sponsors while still working with them to avoid penalties for not recruiting required number of Saudis or for not meeting their demands of huge and arbitrary payment of non-existing “Azad-Visa” fee. The worst-case scenario in such cases is that they came to know about their Haroob status, in most cases, after lapse of one year when they approached for renewal of Iqama or exit-re-entry visa. According to local labor laws, one cannot approach labor or any authorities seeking justice and rectify the wrongdoings, if the period of one year has been elapsed from the occurring of the event against which the justice is sought. However, the consul said that they will try their best to help these people with the help of concerned authorities. Another example of the unjust and unnecessary sufferings of poor employees stuck in the web of misunderstanding of Nitaqat system came to the fore during the Open House when Ms. Gracy, a staff nurse from Kerala working in a hospital for years with impeccable records, found her status as Haroob only after her previous sponsor had given her transfer consent and the prospective one could not get her transfer to his sponsorship effected because of it being placed in the Red category of Nitaqat. She narrated her story to the CG and Consul(labour) who advised her to approach Labor Court where they assured her to provide all necessary help. While speaking to community leaders during Open House session, Kidwai said that while he recognizes the active and important role played by them, he hopes to continue receiving their support in his endeavor to solve varying problems of the vast community. Composite Tour to Tabuk A team from the Consulate General of India, Jeddah would be rendering consular services (limited to attestation and passport services not being provided by the outsourced agencies) to the Indian nationals in Tabuk on March 28 from 0900 to 1300 hours and 1700 to 2000 hours at Hotel Sehab, (Tel. No. 04-4211534). Composite Tour to Al Baha Meanwhile, a team from the Consulate General of India, Jeddah, would also be rendering consular services (limited to attestation and passport services not being provided by the outsourced agencies) to the Indian nationals in Al Baha on March 28 from 0900 to 1300 hours and 1700 to 2000 hours at Hotel Zulfan, (Tel. No. 07-7251053). Indian nationals residing in the respective areas — near Tabuk and Al-Baha — may avail of the opportunity to apply for the consular services, to meet the visiting officials and also to convey their grievances/suggestions, if any, relating to labor and welfare issues. They should bring along with them written statement narrating their problems for redressal of their grievances, including consular related services.
