VISAKHAPATNAM/TIRUPATI: Trainee engineers of Panel Opto Display Technology Pvt Ltd (POTPL) who are trapped in the city of Wuhan in China, on Thursday said they were safe and their company was ready to send them back to India. They were part of the 58-member group which was undergoing training in the now locked-down city for the past six months.
In a video message sent to TNIE, the engineers explained they were fine and had no issues, particularly after coronavirus broke out in the Chinese city. “We are being served Indian food thrice a day and also provided clean water and medical supplies. The company is ready to send us back,’’ they said. They added they were in contact with embassy officials in Beijing and hopeful that they might be evacuated soon. Stating that there was no truth in rumours that they were in house arrest, they appealed to everyone not to spread rumours, which might hinder the process of evacuation.
Rama Rajanya, a trapped trainee engineer, said they were getting good food and all amenities were being provided by the company to ensure their safe stay. He added though they were kept in isolation, they were in constant touch with their family members in Vizag.
Manisha, another trapped person, said the company’s HR personnel deployed medical staff to monitor their health every day. They were being given nutritious diet and their body temperature was being checked three times a day, she explained. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in China was contacting each of them and seeking their individual consent for evacuation.
Speaking to TNIE, Kashyap, one of the trainee engineers who was in China with the team, returned to Vizag after quitting the job on December 3. Kashyap said he thoroughly enjoyed the work conditions and company of his friends from Vizag. He resigned only to pursue a PG course in Australia.
Kashyap said his friends were being taken care of by the POTPL, which ensured total health security of all those trapped in Wuhan. The accommodation given to his friends was very clean and hygienic, he said and added that he was in constant touch with his friends in Wuhan.
Meanwhile, TCL HR (Operations) Raghu said the company authorities were working with Chinese authorities and the Indian Embassy to explore what can be done to evacuate the 58 engineers, who went to Wuhan for a six-month training with POTPL in August last year.
He appealed to the parents and family members of the 58 employees not to worry about their wards and assured that they will be evacuated as soon as possible.
He said as many as 89 engineers from the State and other parts of the country were sent to China for training, six-months ago. Off them, 58 engineers were safe on the company premises located at the industrial area in Wuhan, while 17 engineers were at Shenzhen and 14 others came back to India last year. “Intensive care is being provided to our employees in Wuhan. A committee of TCL employees and expert doctors has been formed to monitor the health condition of the 58 employees in Wuhan. The company (POTPL) has been providing hygienic food, water, masks and medical assistance to them,” he informed.
The Indian embassy has appointed one Aniketh in Wuhan to provide assistance to Indians there. He stated he has been communicating with the company representatives regarding the situation in Wuhan.
“We have sent relevant documents of the 58 employees to the embassy. They informed us that they will soon provide tokens to us with respect to the time and date, and mode of transportation to be used for the evacuation,” he observed.