Preferring not to be named, an official at the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), the authorized body to grant work permission to overseas workers, said Ganga Bahadur Gurung of Gumdi, Dhading; Lila Ram Poudel of Chhisti-1, Baglung; Mehadi Hussain Miya of Pheta-8, Bara; Awas Ahemed Shai of Katkuia-1, Banke; Man Singh Karki of Dibharna-5, Argakhachi, and Ghanashyam Sharki of Hopsekot-8, Nawalparasi, had gone to the Gulf nation through illegal channels. [break]
“We found no records about work permits of those six workers at DoFE. They would have made their way to Qatar via India or any other clandestine channel,” said the official. “Investigation is still on to get more information about them.”
The DoFE issues work permissions to the overseas workers after taking a levy of Rs 1,000 each from them for Foreign Employment Welfare Fund. Manpower agencies concerned have also to pay certain amount as insurance premium on behalf of the workers for a life insurance of Rs 500,000 for the contract period.
Workers flying overseas through illegal channel are not entitled to compensation of Rs 100,000 from the fund for their deaths, said Mukunda Adhikari, under-secretary at the Foreign Employment Promotion Board.
However, six other workers who died or are missing after the tragedy had taken permissions from the DoFE. According to the source, Seshnath Yadav of Bagada-6, Mahottari; Rajiva Kumar Datta of Sugabhawanipatti-5, Mahottari; Tilak Bahadur Khamcha of Gadakot-1, Palpa; Shankar Bista of Hapur-2, Dang; Rishi Prasad Sharma Paudel of Kurgha-3, Parbat, and Jaya Bahadur Pun Magar of Jaulipokhari-8, Rolpa, had left for overseas jobs in different dates between May 2006 and August 2008.
Among the 12 caught into the tragedy, bodies of Yadav and Khamcha have been identified so far. Yadav and Khamcha had got permission from DoFE on June 6 and May 28, 2006, through Sambriddhi Employment Service Pvt Ltd and Rose Bird Nepal Overseas Pvt Ltd, respectively.
Similarly, Datta and Bista were granted permission through Abba International Manpower Service Pvt Ltd and Anand Overseas Service Pvt Ltd on November 29 and June 8, 2006, respectively.
Paudel and Pun Magar had gone for works through Rosebud Nepal Overseas and Classic Overseas Manpower after getting work permission on November 4, 2007, and August 4, 2008, respectively.
Meanwhile, Madan Kumar Bhattarai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoAC), said Doha based Nepali embassy has been instructed to make arrangement to deliver the bodies of Nepali workers to Nepal. Among the 12 bodies recovered, only three -- two Nepalis and one Indian -- have been identified.
“Local police are investigating the bodies of those killed in the accident. And, Nepali embassy officials are on regular contact with Criminal Evidence and Information Department of Qatar for acquiring No Objection Certificate (NOC) for sending the identified bodies to Nepal,” Bhattarai added.
A Doha-bound ship carrying 35 people including 12 Nepali workers from Dubai of the United Arab Emirates capsized in the Sea of Gulf on June 30.
prabhakar@myrepublica.com
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