Centre’s help sought to bring back 12 officials from New Zealand

Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has written to the Central government seeking help to airlift a team of engineers from the department, who were deputed on work to Christchurch, New Zealand and are stuck in the country for two months, owing to the coronavirus lockdown. 

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As many as 12 engineers from the Water Resources department were sent on an official trip to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand.

While their trip was expected to end on March 20, they have been unable to travel because of the global crisis following the Covid-19 pandemic. A flight is scheduled to depart Auckland on June 7 in which these engineers should be treated as priority passengers, the minister has urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.