After sending thousands of migrant workers to their hometowns across the country, actor Sonu Sood had recently airlifted over 170 girls stuck in Kerala amid the coronavirus lockdown. Now, he has funded another chartered flight to help get over 170 migrant workers to Dehradun from Mumbai, in an aircraft operated by AirAsia India, as per a report by PTI.
The Airbus A320 plane with 173 migrants onboard left from Mumbai”s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at around 1.57 pm, an AirAsia India spokesperson told PTI.
It landed at the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun at 4.41 pm, the spokesperson said.
“As another charter flight takes flight today, our efforts to help migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country have only grown stronger.” the actor told PTI.
Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik on 29 May, tweeted about Sonu’s initiative of airlifting the Odia girls.
“Sonu SoodJi, you are helping the Odia girls to return safely from Kerala is commendable. Kudos to your noble efforts. It’s incredible to see how you are helping the needy reach their homes safely. More strength to you,” Patnaik tweeted.
Reportedly, a special aircraft was arranged to help the girls who were stuck in Ernakulam.
The girls, who hail from Odisha, were working as stitching and embroidery labourers at a local textile factory there. Also on board were 10 migrant labourers who were working in a plywood factory.
A source close to the actor has provided pictures to IANS, in which the girls can be seen standing outside the Kochi airport. And after landing at Bhubaneswar airport, they posed for the camera, holding Sonu's pictures in their hands.
Earlier, Sonu has arranged for a number of buses to take migrant workers to their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh and Gulbarga, Karnataka.
“It has been an emotional journey for me as my heart pains to see these migrants staying away from their homes walking on streets. I will continue sending migrants home until the last migrant reunites with his family and loved ones. This is something really close to my heart and I will give it my all”.Sonu Sood in a statement.
(Inputs: IANS)
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