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Workers arrive from Maldives

By Our Staff Reporter

Indian workers on their return from the Maldives at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport on Wednesday night. Photo: S. Gopakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 29. As many as 144 workers, all Indians, arrived at the international airport here at 7.45 p.m. by an Indian Airlines flight from the Maldives. They retuned to the country following Sunday's tsunami onslaught that has left the island nation of the Maldives devastated.

Majority of the workers who arrived here were working at a resort being constructed in the Maldives by a South African company. The workers belong to northern States such as Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They had gone to the Maldives in the last six months. Workers from the southern States, including Kerala, were part of the group.

"We were working at the site, which is about 45 minutes travel by speed boat from the Male airport. The water level rose on Sunday, with waves as high as 10 feet lashing the site of the project. The resort was not affected and the water level has receded. However, we decided to return as we do not want to take any risks in view of the threat that the tidal surge will occur again," said Gangaram of Delhi.

Mr. Gangaram said they had not been paid the salary for the last seven days.

Said Kamar Alam Khan, a carpenter from Delhi: "We did not know that we would have to face the nature's fury. The company officials made some dollar payments at the end. But that money was needed for meeting the expenses to return home. We don't have money to take home."

Later, those belonging to the northern States proceeded to the central railway station to leave for New Delhi.

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