Cong leader visits North Goa DC, demands immediate rescue of stranded Goan seafarers

Goa Congress spokesperson Urfan Mulla, along with the parents of stranded seafarers, met the North Goa Deputy Collector on Tuesday to demand the immediate rescue of 86 Goan seafarers who are stuck on Karnika Ship at the Bombay port since the last 60 days.

He said that the Goa administration is also responsible for the delay and it is the seafarers who are suffering. He informed that states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have already started the process of taking the people stranded on the ship back to their respective states.

"We came to meet the North Goa Collector as around 86 Goan youth are stranded on the Karnika Ship since the last 60 days. The ship came from Dubai to Bombay port on March 12, and it's been 60 days since and the Goan youth are still there," said Urfan Mulla.

"Around 450 people work on that ship, rest of the states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu have started the process of taking people back to their respective states today (Tuesday), then why the delay in Goa?" asked Mulla.

"We came here to know why permit applications of people are getting rejected. The Deputy Collector immediately intervened in the matter and talked to the agent there. There was a delay from the agent's side in sending the names. So they have assured us that they will book and arrest the Goa agent there along with the ship agent, and get them here by tomorrow, after talking to the management," Mulla further said.

The parent of a seafarer said that he has been 'expecting the return of the children for the past one and a half months', and so he decided to visit the Deputy Collector.

"We had come to meet the Deputy Collector with regard to the Karnika Ship which is in Bombay for the last two months. We have been expecting our children to be back home for the last one and a half months," said Mundero, parent of a seafarer.

( With inputs from ANI )