Amid the unrest in Nepal, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Real Time Governance, Nara Lokesh, has taken charge of coordinating rescue operations for Telugu citizens stranded across various regions of the neighboring country. On Wednesday, he reached the Real Time Governance (RTG) Center at the State Secretariat and held a review meeting with senior officials.
AP Bhavan authorities briefed him on the ground situation, informing that as many as 261 Telugu people have been reported stranded so far. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan directed State Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh to participate in the coordination responsibilities by staying in the control room set up in Vijayawada to bring Telugu people trapped in Nepal to safety.
Durgesh left Anantapur for Vijayawada in a hurry with the instructions given by the Deputy Chief Minister, who suggested that information should be obtained from those who had gone to Pashupatinath and Muktinath temples in Nepal and that they should be encouraged by the family members of those trapped there.
Taking serious note of the situation, Minister Lokesh directed officials to initiate measures on a war footing to ensure the safe return of those trapped. He instructed that immediate relief must be extended, stranded people shifted to safer locations, and regular updates provided. “Updates on their safety and well-being must be collected every two hours,” he told officials during the meeting.
Minister Lokesh assured that those stranded in Nepal will be brought back to their homes. He spoke to Telugu people stranded in Nepal through a video call from the Secretariat. He asked the Chief Secretary to ensure that the victims stranded in Nepal are brought back. He said that steps should be taken to arrange a flight from Kathmandu to Visakhapatnam.
Officials have collected district-wise details to bring the victims back to their homes. Continuous discussions were held with officials of the Nepal Embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs. Lokesh instructed that immediate relief must be extended, stranded people shifted to safer locations, and regular updates provided.
Lokesh assured that the state government, in close coordination with the central government, is committed to bringing all Telugu citizens back home safely. In the wake of the ongoing unrest in Nepal, Lokesh has prioritised the evacuation of trapped Telugu citizens and will not be able to attend the NDA’s ‘Super Six Super Hit’ event scheduled in Anantapur today.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has alerted Naveen Srivastava, Indian Ambassador to Nepal regarding the situation. The embassy is being kept informed to ensure early evacuation and safety arrangements for the stranded citizens.
