Hyderabad: A total of 2,470 Indians emigrants died in the Gulf countries this year, as per official records. Experts blamed mental pressure on the workers, deplorable living conditions and extreme temperatures for the deaths.
According to official data Saudi Arabia registered the highest number of deaths at 1,076 followed by the UAE (736), Kuwait (282). Oman (195), Bahrain (93) and Qatar (88) till May 30.
P. Basanth Reddy, president of the Telangana Gulf Migrants Welfare Association, said, “Every day we find people committing suicide in the Gulf. They were taking this extreme step mainly due to mental pressure. This issue had to be addressed at the grass-root level,” he said.
If the government had provided skills training to the men in rural areas, they wouldn’t have gone to the Gulf.
He said ofttimes 15 migrants were crammed in one room. They were forced to live in unhealthy conditions which affected their self-esteem.
Mr G. Muralidhar Reddy, social welfare activist from Kuwait, said, “They have to stay in camps provided by the companies. The hospital facility is rare. Many of those who died couldn’t reach the hospital in time.”
Many people died in vehicle accidents as they were not familiar with the traffic rules in the Gulf.
