Over 400 Indians, who were stranded in Nepal due to coronavirus outbreak, have entered bordering Champawat district, officials said on Saturday.
The Indians crossed the international border on Friday and Saturday from Sharda Barrage at border town of Banbasa in Champawat, they said.
Champawat district magistrate SN Pandey said 437 Indians were stuck in western Nepal due to the coronavirus outbreak that prompted both the countries to seal their borders.
“They were not able to return due to sealing of borders amid the pandemic. They were finally able to return on Friday and Saturday. The returnees include both tourists as well as labourers from Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand,” said Pandey.
“The labourers work in construction sites, brick kilns and sugar factories in Nepal. They were stuck there after the lockdown was announced,” the district magistrate said.
He also said Nepal has fixed a period of four hours from 6 am to 10 am daily for opening of the border to enable Indians and Nepalese people to return to their countries.
“Nepalese stranded in India were allowed to cross the border from time to time during the lockdown but Indians stuck in Nepal were allowed for the first time on Friday to enter Indian side after high-level talks were held between officials of both the nations,” said Pandey.
{{/usCountry}}“Nepalese stranded in India were allowed to cross the border from time to time during the lockdown but Indians stuck in Nepal were allowed for the first time on Friday to enter Indian side after high-level talks were held between officials of both the nations,” said Pandey.
{{/usCountry}}So far, 6,534 Nepalese people had returned to their country, he said.
Ashok Bhardwaj, a tourist from Himachal Pradesh, said, “I was distressed and missing my family while I was stuck there. Now after returning, I am very happy that I will be able to see my family.”
Like Bhardwaj, Rameshwar Kashyap, a labourer and a resident of UP, expressed happiness after returning to the country. “I worked in Nepal in a tile company but was stuck there due to the lckodown. I wanted to return and help my family in the harvest season but couldn’t do so. Now after almost two months I will be seeing my family.”