Workers from Telangana stuck in war-torn Iraq, Libya

HYDERABAD: “Iraq is a war zone, that’s why labourers, farmers and semi-skilled workers are paid more money than gulf countries because of which hundreds from Nizamabad, Adilabad and Karimnagar are immigrating illegally,” said an unlicensed agent B Narender from Shapur in Nizamabad, who is now in the dock for sending 15 persons to Erbil of Iraqi Kurdistan and they are stuck there after their one month visit visa expired.
Narender has sent at least 300 workers to Iraq in the past four years and dozens of such agents thrive in various districts of Telangana and in Hyderabad as well, who send workers to war zones like Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. On Thursday, Telangana chief secretary SK Joshi sent a crash wireless message to Consulate General of India in Erbil, seeking help after the workers informed their families that they are suffering due to lack of food.
In the message, Joshi said, “Katam Mahendar Reddy, a resident of Kondur in Sirikonda mandal in Nizamabad, had gone to Erbil to earn livelihood. Afer reaching Erbil, these workers realised that they were cheated by the agent and are facing difficulties as there is no food and accommodation. The family members of these immigrants are worried about their safety in Iraq. They have requested financial assistance from the Indian Community Welfare Fund as a special case for air tickets and want them to be repatriated to India as earlier as possible.” The list attached included three farmers and others are electricians, carpenters, plumber and construction workers.
Meanwhile, agent B Narender, who is an Osmania University pass out and is now under police radar, told TOI: “I don’t have a license from the Ministry of External Affairs. I feed prospective candidates to the licensed companies in Chennai and Mumbai for which I get commission. My brother was in Iraq as an HR manager at a company in 2014. So I started doing my own business. There was no problem so far and I have sent 300 persons from Telangana to mostly Iraq and also to Afghanistan and Libya. They are safe if they work with companies and I have sent them on a visit visa. They take Fly Dubai airlines from Hyderabad to Erbil via Dubai. I was paid only ?1.3 lakh and I gave ?60,000 to another agent Chary. I also bought the air tickets for these workers and I was cheated by Chary.”
He added, “The situation is peaceful and there is no war in cities like Erbil, Sulaymaniyah of Iraqi Kurdistan and Bazian region where I have sent several workers. They can move freely in these regions. But there is trouble in Basra in Iraq and most of the workers there have to stay indoors.”