Arjun Singh
Kolkata, West Bengal : On last Wednesday, St. Xavier’s College Calcutta Alumni Association continued its post-COVID relief and rehabilitation initiatives globally and fulfilling social obligations.
The second repatriation flight came from Dubai to Kolkata on the night of 19th August 2020 exclusively lifting the stranded UAE residents from West Bengal back home. Out of the 130 passengers who consisted of two pregnant ladies and ten senior citizens, travelled back to the city by a chartered flight on Wednesday; 80 will leave for their onward journey to North Bengal and Sikkim.
The passenger list includes jobless migrant workers who were stranded at Dubai for more than three months. Medical tests including Covid testing was done for all passengers, and only after their reports came negative and proper precautions and health protocols were observed, they travelled to Kolkata.
This initiative was envisioned by Rev Fr. Dr. Dominic Savio SJ, President of St. Xavier’s College (Calcutta) Alumni Association and Principal St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous) Kolkata and implemented by Dubai Chapter of SXCCAA supported by Purvanchal Pravasi Milan UAE & Marwari Yuva Manch UAE.
‘We at St. Xavier’s College Autonomous Kolkata preach the students to render selfless services to the mankind, which resembles to the Jesuit Doctrine. I am glad that the ex-students of our College staying at Kolkata as well as Dubai are keeping up the legacy and tradition of helping the poor passengers reaching their homes safely, meeting their loved ones in this testing time’, Father Dominic Savio said. ‘We like to express our gratitude to the Office of the Consul General of India in Dubai, Government of West Bengal, Government of the UAE, DGCA, Government of India, Purvanchal Pravasi Milan, UAE, Marwari Yuva Manch UAE and our Xaverian family members for this commendable effort, he added.
Under the initiative, SXCCAA UAE and SXCCAA jointly made arrangements of sponsoring cost of 50 return tickets for financially distressed people, arranging subsidized fare for several other needy migrating workers.
SXCCAA also made food arrangements at Kolkata for 80% passengers, all of them being migrant labourers, and kept 2 Buses for onward journey to North Bengal mainly Bagdogra, Jalpaiguri, Mirik, Kalimpong, Kurseong etc – with en route food, water, Medicine arrangements.
Members of SXCCAA were present at both Dubai & Kolkata airports for logistics support and facilitation of formalities. Assistance in uploading COVID test results and other travel documents of these passengers were also done by SXCCAA members at Dubai and Kolkata.
SXCCAA continues to deliver on its promise to help those who need it and intends to uphold it in days to come through implementation of a variety of social upliftment schemes.
