R) Saeed Ahmed Baba, the Indian Consul General, and Dr. M.S. Karimuddin from the New Jeddah Clinic. Baba briefed reporters Sunday evening about the community welfare measures being undertaken by the Indian Consulate. (Saudi Gazette photo by Fouzia Khan)JEDDAH: The Indian Consulate is working to ensure all its nationals living under the Kandara Bridge return home, said Saeed Ahmed Baba, the Indian Consul General at a press conference held at the Indian Consulate on Jan. 23. Baba said there are between 300 to 350 Indian nationals who are camping under the infamous Kandara Bridge, hoping to be deported under the amnesty issued by the Saudi Government in 2010. Baba said it is now clear the amnesty is for Haj and Umrah overstayers and visit visa offenders. He said many of those who do not qualify for the amnesty are suffering. This includes those who ran away from their sponsors. These people are in a “legal jam” because they want to leave but cannot do so. They need permission and clearance from their sponsors. Workers also have other issues, like court cases and debts to resolve before they can leave. He said they were working with the Saudi authorities to resolve the situation of runaway workers. Baba said the consulate has been helping recently by providing the workers with at least one meal a day and also medical assistance with the help of community social workers. He said so far 4,000 have applied for amnesty, including Haj, Umrah and visit visa overstayers. These people have been issued emergency certificates. The Indian consulate has also been meeting the jail authorities to allow for inmates' early departure from the Kingdom. They also visit the labor court daily to assist Indian workers in filing cases. Baba said that the consulate's community welfare work covers the entire western region from Tabuk to Jizan, catering for almost one million Indians. The services include settling of labor disputes, providing medical and financial assistance, transporting and local burial of dead bodies, emergency certificates for illegal overstayers and stranded Indian workers, assisting in settlement of family disputes, and jail visits to meet with Indian inmates. There are also monthly medical camps at the consulate complex for the needy, he said. The following measures were taken by the Indian consulate in 2010: A total of 4,313 recruitment documents were attested; 2,111 labor complaints were reported; 635 death cases were registered; and over SR4 million in compensation claims settled. He added that 18,191 passes or emergency certificates were issued; and over SR2.81 million spent by the Indian community on welfare relief. He added that 411 Indians are in Saudi jails for robbery, theft and other different fraud cases.
