Nepalis stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan are facing hardship due to the virtual lockdown owing to coronavirus outbreak.
Around 180 Nepalis, mostly students, are waiting for the government to rescue them but the Nepali Embassy in China, that had asked those who want to return to Nepal to fill online application, has yet to inform when the plane will arrive almost three weeks on.
The stranded Nepalis don't know how many days more they have to live locked in their rooms even as stock of foods and other essential items are being exhausted. "Drinking water finished four days ago. The embassy had asked us to order online. It will apparently take around four-five days for water to arrive," Ashok Sah, a Nepali student in Wuhan, told Setopati. "I bring water from the toilet, boil that twice and drink nowadays."
He said the Nepalis have given up on the government that has not showed up even in three weeks. "It does not seem our government will send the plane. We are talking about seeking help from the international community instead."
Government officials here in Kathmandu assure they are preparing to bring the stranded Nepalis home but cannot give an exact date for rescue.
Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli during the meeting with the ministries concerned on February 6 had given instructions to rescue them within a week. The government is making arrangements to quarantine the rescued persons at the training center of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in Kharipati, Bhaktapur after Oli's instruction.
"PM had given a seven-day deadline during the last meeting. The plane will likely leave in a day or two," PM's press advisor Surya Thapa said. "But I don't know the exact date."
The Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) said one of its wide-body plane will go for rescue but added that the date has yet to be decided.
NAC Spokesperson Archana Khadka told Setopati that discussions are on to send the plane on February 15 but the date has yet to be confirmed.
She said a lot of preparations have to be done for the special flight after the decision to send the plane. She added that it can take some time as the process has to be completed and necessary precaution taken.
