<p class="title">The families of as many as 19 people who disembarked from the Lakshadweep Development Corporation Limited’s boat “Amindivi”, were overjoyed to reunite with them at the Old Port in Bunder, on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Old Port Safety Officer Gaus Ali said that people frequently sail from Mangaluru to Lakshadweep islands looking for gainful employment. Due to lockdown, 19 people, including three women, were stranded on the islands for past two months. The ban on sea journey from May 15 to September 15 due to inclement weather, would have prolonged their stay and added to the existing miseries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Due to the efforts of the Lakshadweep government, the local elected representatives, the state government and the Indian Coast Guards, the 19 people were exempted from the ban and allowed to make a journey to Mangaluru,” Gaus Ali informs. Mohammed Aris from Mangaluru recollected that he had sailed to Lakshadweep islands six months ago to start a small enterprise.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He had booked a ticket to return to Mangaluru on March 24. However he was stranded due to the lockdown. “But the native residents who speak Malayalam took care of us and ensured that we did not feel homesick. We are truly indebted to them,” he stressed and added that there was no Corona in the Lakshadweep islands. The boat with four passengers from Kavaratti, Agatti, and 11 passengers from Kiltan islands left the Lakshadweep islands on Wednesday (11 am) and after covering a distance of 160 to 180 nautical miles and reached Mangaluru on Thursday morning. After the mandatory check-up by the health officials the 19 stranded people from Lakshadweep islands were sent for home quarantine.</p>
<p class="title">The families of as many as 19 people who disembarked from the Lakshadweep Development Corporation Limited’s boat “Amindivi”, were overjoyed to reunite with them at the Old Port in Bunder, on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Old Port Safety Officer Gaus Ali said that people frequently sail from Mangaluru to Lakshadweep islands looking for gainful employment. Due to lockdown, 19 people, including three women, were stranded on the islands for past two months. The ban on sea journey from May 15 to September 15 due to inclement weather, would have prolonged their stay and added to the existing miseries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Due to the efforts of the Lakshadweep government, the local elected representatives, the state government and the Indian Coast Guards, the 19 people were exempted from the ban and allowed to make a journey to Mangaluru,” Gaus Ali informs. Mohammed Aris from Mangaluru recollected that he had sailed to Lakshadweep islands six months ago to start a small enterprise.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He had booked a ticket to return to Mangaluru on March 24. However he was stranded due to the lockdown. “But the native residents who speak Malayalam took care of us and ensured that we did not feel homesick. We are truly indebted to them,” he stressed and added that there was no Corona in the Lakshadweep islands. The boat with four passengers from Kavaratti, Agatti, and 11 passengers from Kiltan islands left the Lakshadweep islands on Wednesday (11 am) and after covering a distance of 160 to 180 nautical miles and reached Mangaluru on Thursday morning. After the mandatory check-up by the health officials the 19 stranded people from Lakshadweep islands were sent for home quarantine.</p>