Muscat: Out of the 74 Indian workers, who were stranded in a company in Oman without food and salary, 35 were repatriated on Tuesday night after Indian embassy officials took up the case.
The Times of Oman had first reported the story on Tuesday afternoon.
The workers, mainly from North Indian states, were employed by a construction company based in Muscat a few months ago. The workers were on strike alleging non-payment of salary and non-supply of food for the last few days.
“In all, there were 74 workers stranded in the camp. Out of that, 35 left on Tuesday night with the embassy’s help and 16 will leave tonight (via a Thursdaymorning flight) for India. The company officials have assured us that the rest will be repatriated on March 22,” the stranded workers said.
Most of these workers came to Oman after paying between OMR300 and OMR500 to recruitment agencies back in India.
An official from the company had said on Tuesday that they were planning to send back the workers to India.
According to a legal advisor, non-payment of salary is against Oman’s Labour Law and companies cannot breach the terms and conditions agreed to in the job contract.
“Moreover, non-payment of salary and food is against the Labour Law. The aggrieved workers can approach the Labour dispute departments and their mission houses to settle the issue,” the legal advisor added.
