M F AHMAD
Ranchi, May 9: 22 students of Jharkhand have been evacuated from the strife-torn north east state Manipur today. Among the 22 evacuated ones are four girls also.
These 22 stranded students were first brought to Patna by a direct Imphal-Patna flight.
The Jharkhand government has already sent a 42-seater AC bus to Patna from Ranchi to bring back these 22 students on their arrival at the Patna airport from Imphal today.
Ranchi district Panchayati Raj Officer Birender Kumar Choubey has been sent as magistrate with a posse of police force to the Patna airport to bring back these 22 students by road to Ranchi.
State Disaster Management Secretary Amitabh Kaushal has confirmed the evacuation of 22 students and their Jharkhand state bound air travel today from Imphal this morning at 8.40 Imphal-Patna flight.
Amitabh Kaushal said, “These 22 are students of NIT Imphal, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural university Manipur, National Sports University Imphal and IIT Manipur.”
Four each are of NIT and Central Agricultural university. (4+4=8)
Similarly, seven each are of National Sports University and IIT, said Kaushal. (7+7=14 now 8+14= 22)
Among the 22 evacuated is one student Ankit Kumar Gupta who is from Garhwa district of the Palamu Commissionerate.
The remaining 21 evacuated students are of Ranchi, Dumka, Pakur, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Ramgarh, Sahibganj, Jamshedpur etc.
Amitabh Kaushal said, “It was our multi-level coordination with the Manipur government. Manipur state has energy secretary in Shailesh Chourasia who is from Jharkhand. We tapped him for pulling out our boys and girls studying there.”
“The Jharkhand government was in touch with the labour department there in Manipur. Resident Commissioner was also approached,” added Kaushal.
“The support and cooperation of our Army unit was most valued,” he said.
On being asked as to why 22 evacuated students of Jharkhand were made to fly for Patna in Bihar today to which secretary state disaster management said, “Getting seats in flights have gone too scarce at this time. One private airliner is at the hangar. It has created a huge crisis of air tickets. We were lucky enough to find seats for our 22 students in Patna flight from Imphal and that we couldn’t afford to miss at all.”
The secretary said that the air fare is sky rocketing now with no guarantee of air journey on day and time that one wishes.
Kaushal further said, “Quite a few more of our Jharkhand students in Manipur – Imphal declined to come over to their home state citing personal reasons. When they are not ready to move out, then nothing doing for them for home journey.”
The entire air travel cost of 22 students of Jharkhand from Manipur is borne by the state government.
