530 Indians flown back from Libya, 88 cross over to Tunisia

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Launching a major evacuation
drive, India has brought back over 530 of its nationals from
strife-torn Libya by two special Air India planes, even as 88
others crossed over by road to Tunisia from the North African
nation facing large-scale protests against the Gaddafi regime.
While the first flight evacuated 291 Indians from
Libya and brought them back here late last night, another Air
India plane carrying over 235 people landed at the Terminal 2
of the Indira Gandhi International Airport here in the wee
hours.
The two flights had left Libya yesterday after the
authorities there allowed landing of two flights from India
per day till March 10.
Minister of State for External Affairs in India E
Ahamed and Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao received last
night the first batch of passengers who were helped by
Resident Commissioners of 10 states, including Kerala, Uttar
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and officials of External Affairs and
Overseas Indian Affairs Ministries.
Apart from these, 15 corporate houses, which have
their units in Libya, have been asked to help the arriving
Indian nationals, the officials said, adding adequate number
of buses and taxis have been made available.
"They are all in good health and cheer. The passengers
included a large number of women and children," an official
statement from the MEA said Sunday.
The total number of Indians in Libya is estimated to
be 18,000.
Meanwhile, 88 Indians have crossed over by road from
Libya to Ras Jedir in Tunisia and were received by officials
of Embassy of India in Tunis, who have set up a camp there.
"All 88, who work for Punj Lloyd, have since been
housed in 'Best Hotel' in Djerba (Tunisia), from where they
are likely to be flown back to India soon. Another 170 persons
are likely to reach Ras Jedir today," the statement said.
With fear still writ large on their faces, the
Indians, many of whom had to go without food for several days
since the outbreak of the revolt against the Gadaffi regime a
fortnight back, gave an account of the tales of fear, horror
and looting to mediapersons on their arrival.
Mohammed Sali, hailing from Kochi in Kerala and who
has been living in Libya for the past 31 years, said people
had to go without food and water for days as the situation
turned from bad to worse in Libya.
The Ministry of External Affairs and Delhi
International Airport Limited made arrangements for the
arriving passengers in the in-operational Terminal 2.
Two Naval ships INS Jalashwa and INS Mysore set sail
from Mumbai yesterday morning for Libya. The journey time is
about twelve days to that country.
Scotia Prince, another chartered ship, is already on
its way to Libya) and will transport the Indians to a safer
destination from where they will be airlifted, Shipping
Minister G K Vasan had said in Chennai yesterday. The ship has
a capacity of 1200 passengers.
Telephone facilities and railway reservation counters,
apart from Balmer-Laurie counter for booking in Air India
flight for onward journey, have been set up in the terminal.
In order to help the traumatised people, who are
coming back from civil war-like situation, doctors are made
available to counsel the evacuees.
Terminal 2 was reactivated in just 24 hours by DIAL
(Delhi International Airport) for the returnees from Libya and
will be operational exclusively for handling all future
dedicated flights, the MEA said.
"All concerned Ministries, Central Agencies, and State
Governments have worked closely to put the reception
arrangements in place, including the security agencies, BCAS
(Bureau Civil Aviation Security) and CISF (Central Industrial
Security Force)," it said.