T’puram: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that issues of flight services, refunds and excessive airfare would be brought to the attention of the central govt. Vijayan made the promise during an online meeting held with Loka Kerala Sabha representatives in Gulf countries on Tuesday in the backdrop of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.The state govt prioritises ensuring the safety of expatriate Keralites and providing necessary facilities to those who need to return home in emergencies, Vijayan said. He expressed satisfaction with the unity of expatriate Keralites during this crisis.“It’s a critical time to work together, setting aside all differences.”Representatives highlighted issues such as passengers stranded at various airports in the Gulf due to flight cancellations, expatriates needing to return home urgently, problems of students needing to reach home for various exams, etc.As flight services are yet to become fully fledged, people are travelling by road to different countries to board available flights. To provide counselling services to those contacting the Norka helpdesk and others in need, counsellors from National Health Mission have been appointed. Services are available 24×7 for expatriate Keralites and their family members at +91 4712430001 or toll-free at 14416.Thrissur native injured in shell attackThe state govt said that a Thrissur native, Hisham, from Chavakkad taluk, was injured in a shell attack in Qatar on Monday. He underwent surgery on his hand and sustained injuries to his legs. He has a brother in Qatar.
