Indian mission records 20 expat deaths this month
The Indian embassy has registered deaths of 20 of its community members so far this month, the monthly community house was informed yesterday.
This year until yesterday, 227 Indian nationals died in Qatar. While a total of 237 community members died in 2012, last year saw the deaths of 241 Indian expatriates in the country.
The house was informed that 79 Indian nationals are currently serving sentence for different offences, and 133 awaiting deportation are housed at the Criminal Evidence and Investigation Department’s Deportation Centre.
The Labour and Community Welfare Section of the embassy has received a total of 3,256 complaints between January and October this year. In the last two years, the number of complaints received were 3,385 (2012) and 3,558 (2013).
On being requested by the local authorities, emergency certificates were issued this month for 11 people housed at the Deportation Centre, it was informed.
The embassy’s follow-up facilitated the return of 61 Indian nationals from the Deportation Centre this month, it was disclosed.
The mission also issued six air tickets to six persons in distress and borne the expenses for the transportation of the mortal remains of an Indian fisherman who died in a boat collision off the Qatari coast.
The house was held to address urgent consular and labour issues/cases of the country’s Indian expatriates. Ambassador Sanjiv Arora and other senior officials met the complainants, discussed their problems and assured them of the mission’s support in bringing their issues to the attention of the local authorities.
Newly elected president of the Indian Community Benevolent Fund Arvind Patil and former chief Kareem Abdulla were also present besides the embassy officials.
QU road crash sparks social media debate
The Qatari man killed in a road traffic accident in Doha’s West Bay area on Wednesday has been identified as the father of a Qatar University (QU) student.
The man, in his early 70s, was hit on the QU campus by a car driven by a female faculty member.
In a statement sent to QU community and posted on Twitter university president Professor Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad, said: “I have long dreaded that the day would come when I would have to write this e-mail.”
There are conflicting versions as to where the accident happened within the campus. Some said it was in a parking lot while others maintained the man was trying to cross an internal road. Most of the roads on the QU campus have a speed limit of 40km and some close to the boundary 60km.
The tragedy has spurred a debate on social media about the need to ensure safe driving as well as walking habits within QU campus.
“Some people drive irresponsibly inside the campus, while many of those who walk, do not seek the safety of pavements,” a student observed.
Mesaimeer health clinic
patients to be redirected
Starting today, the Omer Ibn Khattab Health Centre will not receive Mesaimeer Health Centre patients on Fridays and Saturdays as usual, the Primary Health Care Corporation has announced.
This temporary measure will be in place until Mesaimeer Health Centre adopts the electronic filing system.
Patients are to be redirected from Mesaimeer to Abu Baker and Al Rayyan health centres on Fridays and Saturdays.
