As the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) continues from Qatar, Indian budget carrier IndiGo has advised people not to heed rumours about one of its scheduled repatriation flights getting cancelled.
“Don’t fall prey to rumours regarding cancellation of flight 6E 8719 from Doha to Hyderabad on 24th July. It is operating as per schedule. Visit our official website for correct information,” the airline tweeted yesterday.
The flight, which is part of VBM, is scheduled to depart from Doha at 11.25am and reach Hyderabad at 5.55pm, according to the airline.
Meanwhile, more flights took off from Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) for different destinations in India yesterday. 
6E 8715 left for Lucknow with 189 passengers, while 6E 8702 took off from HIA for Thiruvananthapuram with 197 passengers and two infants and 6E 8713 left for Chennai with 200 passengers and two infants. 
Then, 6E 8719 departed from HIA for Hyderabad with 119 passengers and an infant, AI 1926 left for Jaipur with 146 passengers, 6E 8717 headed to Mumbai with 208 passengers and two infants, and 6E 8706 left for Kochi with 202 passengers and six infants. 
So far, 96 flights have been operated from Doha under VBM, “bringing the total number of repatriated passengers to 17,458 plus 351 infants”, the Indian embassy tweeted yesterday.


33 worksites closed for violating norms
The Labour Inspection Department of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, carried out a number of intensive inspection campaigns recently to ensure compliance by companies with Ministerial Decision No 16 of 2007 fixing outdoor working hours during the summer.
The ministry said the field visits carried out by its inspectors from July 5-16 resulted in the closure of 33 worksites for three days because they violated the ministerial decision.
It said that most of the violating companies work in the contracting sector in Al Ebb, Al Wakrah, Rawdat Al Hamama, Al Kharaitiyat, Lusail, Umm Al Saneem, Al Kheesa, Al Thumama, Azghawa and Al Khor.
The decision obliges companies and institutions that have open workplaces to set a schedule specifying the daily working hours in accordance with the provisions of the decision, a place that is easy for all workers to see and for the Ministry inspectors to observe during their inspection visits, in addition to providing air-conditioned spaces for the workers’ comfort, providing chilled drinking water and light clothing, and giving them rest periods at different times in order to protect them from heat.
The Ministerial Decision No 16 of 2007 bans work between 11.30am and 3pm from June 15, to August 31 every year.
The ministry called on all companies in different sectors to respect the decision in order to avoid the workplace’s closure.
From June 15 to July 16, 173 worksites in various parts of the country were closed for violating the provisions of the decision. — QNA

Qatar condemns Iraq bombings
Qatar has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the two bombings that occurred in Basra and Saladin governorates in Iraq, and resulted in deaths and injuries. 
In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Qatar’s firm stance rejecting violence and terrorism regardless of their motives and causes.
The statement expressed Qatar’s condolences to the families of victims as well as the government and people of Iraq, wishing the wounded a speedy recovery. - QNA