77 students from Pune district stranded in Ukraine

PUNE At least 77 students from the Pune district are stranded in various cities in Ukraine, as per the district administration control room data.

On Thursday, the Pune district administration set up a control room and issued helpline numbers for those who are stranded in the war zone.

In 24 hours, data of 77 students who needed to be evacuated has been collected by the district authorities and it has been handed over to the Union government.

“The data has been collected through the control room. We have informed the government of India of the number of students from the Pune district. However, I cannot comment on when they will be brought back. We have given the information to the government of India,” said Vitthal Banote, district disaster management officer.

According to government sources, around 1,200 students from Maharashtra are stranded in Ukraine amid tension between Ukraine and Russia. Amid pleas from family and students, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has asked the chief secretary to coordinate with the Centre and get in touch with Maharashtrians in Ukraine.

There are several other students from the neighbouring districts of Pune who are stranded in Ukraine.

“We are in touch with the students. They are in the various states of the country. In some states, no attacks have been reported so far. In those areas students are safe. But the expectation of students is that our government should evacuate them as soon as possible. Nobody can predict how the war situation will escalate. So, it will be better if these students are evacuated as soon as possible,” said Mahendra Zavare, who runs Doctor Educon Education Consultancy in Ahmednagar.

GET IN TOUCH

For the citizens from Pune district who are stranded in Ukraine, the administration has started a control room.

Helpline number: 020 26123371

Email: controlroompune@gmail.com