SENDING YOUTHS TO IRAQ

Centre names 4 registered agents 

Chandigarh, September 21Less than a month after the Punjab and Haryana High Court facilitated the return of Indian youths from Iraq, the Union Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has named four registered and unregistered agents involved in sending the workers there.
In a communication to Union of India’s standing counsel Onkar Singh Batalvi, the ministry said: “It has been reported that three registered and one unregistered agents are involved in sending workers to Iraq”.
Giving details, the ministry said the agents included JM Overseas, Chandigarh. The registration certificate of the agent had earlier been cancelled. Further, a show-cause notice dated August 16 has been issued.
The communication was today placed before the Bench of Acting Chief Justice M.M. Kumar and Justice Gurdev Singh and the hearing in the case stands adjourned.
The ministry added that the registration certificate of city-based Gayatri Travels too had earlier been placed under suspension. A show-cause notice was issued to the organisation also on August 16.
A show-cause notice was issued to Chandigarh-based Swastik Travel Service on September 19 and in case of “Hari Singh of Chandigarh, the authorities have been requested for filing an FIR”.
The communication by Director, Emigration Services, KC Badhok added: “The Embassy of India, Baghdad, has further reported that temporary accommodation has been arranged for some 90 Indian workers, out of which 42 already returned to India. As many as eight have decided to stay back in Iraq and are looking for alternative employment. At least 17 others have found alternative employment in other locations and are working there. “In respect of 23 workers, who desire their repatriation, the recruiting agent representatives have arrived at Baghdad and are arranging for their exit visa and return tickets.
“Embassy of India, Baghdad, is in contact with the Iraqi authorities for facilitating the repatriation of these Indian workers”.