'Passport' counter at Samajam

ബഹറിന്‍ കേരളീയ സമാജത്തില്‍ പുതിയതായി ആരംബിക്കുന്ന ഇന്ത്യന്‍ എംബസിയുടെ കോണ്‍സുലര്‍ എക്ടന്‍ഷന്‍‍ സര്‍വീസ് 'സെസ് ' നെ സംബധിച്ച് " GULF DAILY NEWS "ല്‍ വന്ന വാര്‍ത്ത
An Indian Embassy extension counter is to open at the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS) next month, it emerged yesterday.
The counter will operate between 5pm and 9pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from October 8, said BKS president P V Mohana Kumar.
It will initially handle all passport-related services, he added.
Visiting Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor will open the centre on October 4 but it will start serving the public four days later, said Mr Kumar.
"Depending on the response, we will decide later whether to expand its services," Mr Kumar said.
"The new counter will be extremely beneficial to thousands of Indian nationals who are unable to visit the embassy during office hours for passport-related services," he said.
"The services are available in the evenings, making it easier for people to get their work done."
Cheating
He said the counter, to be supervised by embassy staff, will be manned by specially-trained volunteers.
"All the paperwork, however, will be forwarded to the embassy for processing."
Meanwhile, 46 cases were handled yesterday at an open house held at the embassy premises, in Adliya.
Co-ordination Committee of Indian Associations (CCIA) officials and community leaders attended the monthly gathering presided over by Ambassador George Joseph.
CCIA chairman John Iype said most cases related to employees' salary disputes with sponsors or claims of cheating against employers.
"We have also taken up the case of 13 employees of a construction company who have not been paid for the last five months," he said. "The embassy is now investigating claims that two of the 13 employees of the company were forcibly deported to India last Thursday."