Find some solution to bring back Indians stranded in Kuwait: SC

New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to explore some solution to bring back over 30,000 Indians, mostly blue-collar workers from Tamil Nadu, stranded in Kuwait amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
A bench, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan and comprising Justices R. Subhash Reddy and M.R. Shah told Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, representing the Centre, the government should do something and find some solution.
The Centre said during the the seventh phase of the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) in October, Air India, Air India Express and Indigo Airlines are scheduled to operate total 83 flights between Kuwait and different destinations of India.
The Centre, in an affidavit, said out of 1.33 lakh Indians, it has already facilitated repatriation of 87,022 people from Kuwait.
“It is respectfully submitted that till October 1, 2020, a total of 559 flights (including 177 special flights under VBM and 382 chartered and special flights) have already been operated from Kuwait to India. Out of 1,33,000 Indian nationals who had registered with the Embassy for travel to India, the respondent has already facilitated 87,022’s repatriation from Kuwait to various destinations in India,” it said in the affidavit.
The Centre said foreign airlines, such as Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airlines, have also been operating sufficient number of flights between Kuwait and India during the Covid-19 period and continue to do so during this month too. “Therefore, availability of flights is no more a reason for being stranded in Kuwait,” it said.