Delhi govt compiling data of students stranded abroad due to coronavirus outbreak: Sources

The Delhi government has launched an exercise to prepare a detailed plan for students of the city who are stranded abroad due to the coronavirus outbreak, sources said here on Sunday.

Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has asked all states and Union territories to furnish data on such students, they said, adding that the Centre would take the final call on a possible evacuation.

Accordingly, Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev has asked officials to prepare a list of students stranded abroad and suggest measures for screening and quarantine among others upon their return to the city, the sources told PTI.

"Delhi is also compiling its data of its students stranded abroad in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in several counties," a source said.

Earlier this week, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan had asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to make arrangements to bring back students stranded overseas.

In a letter to the Maharashtra chief minister, Chavan said out of around 50,000 Indian students stranded abroad, 5,000-7,000 are from the state.