Mangalore,April 2: Saudi Arabia Government is seriously engaged in implementing a new Rule “Nitaqat” wherein mandatory 10% of the jobs must be reserved for locals. As a result of this new rule many of the Indian laborors have been trapped , undergoing hardship and returning India on daily basis.
Under the complex situation of this rule many laborors were facing charges and court arrested.Many people have gone underground to escape from the arrest.Many people have been mercilessly repatriated already empty handed or being put in jail.
With the hopes of situation might return to normal many people were hiding in unknown places just to escape from this harsh rule of Saudi.
Besides Saudi Government has increased the annual renewal charge of ‘Akama’(identity Card-Labor card) exorbitantly to Saudi Rial 2400 from saudi riyal 100. This sudden increase in the fee definitely poor laborors are incapable of paying and “Kaafil” (sponsors) are not willing to come to their aid even,they says.
People who are running the business activities will not be allowed to function as long as their documents are legalized.Laborors who works under these sponsors are arrested and jailed.After serving the jail sentence they are being repatriated to their country of origin putting a ban stamp on the passport without paying their rightful dues.
In Saudi most of the establishments,shops are without proper documents as a result of which more than 50% laborors are facing legal problems and undergoing harsh treatments.
Though the new rule has been implemented, no business community is ready to offer 10% reserved quota of employment to locals.Because according to them they are not productive and working sincerely and only for recieving monthly salary they must be recruited,they alleged.But expatriates including including Indians are more productive and ready to work sincerely for the salary much below than the locals
Most of the shop owners closed their business as they can not sustain the pressure of these legalities.As a result of this, many business class people lost their investments and local partners are not willing to repay their invested amount and slowly going under the custody of local partners.
Though this rule was there in force since March 20,2012 and was given a time period up to March 27th, for regularizing theier documents,most of the ‘ Kaafils’ failed in regularizing their documents and thereby putting the laborors who are working under them in great difficulties and sent them back to their country of origin empty handed.
Fearing the implications of new rule many people have already been arrived to India.
As per S.H.Ansari,resident of Kana,Suratkal,who was working for one of the human resources company in Saudi,this rule will not affect the laborors of big companies,wherein company is taking care of all these activities including the cost of sendingthe laborors back, it says.Laborors of small small companies,shops and restaurants were affected more than the rest because of this new rule.There were many laborors who have run away from their original sponsors and working somewhere illegally to escape from this harsh punishement.
But irony is that even after knowing the gravity of the situation Indian governemnt is nicely sleeping by closing their eyes as if it is not their job without taking any remedial steps.
