Muscat: Amidst frequent news of absconding workers and crackdown against illegals, the Omani authorities and Indian embassy have warmed the cockles of many hearts by showing their humanitarian side by helping stranded labourers reunite with their families.

According to latest statistics released by the Manpower Ministry, 1,120 expatriates, including 273 women, were arrested last month (September) for violating Oman’s residency laws, including entering the country illegally.

The number of expatriates leaving their employers in violation of the Omani Labour Law rose 15.5 per cent in the first half of 2012. “As many as 8,382 expatriates absconded in the first half of 2012, an increase of 15.5 per cent over the same period in 2011,” said Saleh Bin Saeed Al Ameri, Adviser for Labour Welfare at the Ministry of Manpower.

The number of illegal workers from January-June 2012 stood at 7,296, of which 2,448 were detained, an increase of 49 per cent over 4,885 offenders in the corresponding period of 2011.

“The number of illegal expat workers detained in the first half of 2012 rose 51 per cent to 5,402 as compared to 3,569 last year,” he added. Around 3,427 illegal expatriate workers were deported in the first half of 2012 while 2,100 were deported in the same period last year, an increase of 63 per cent.

While the authorities continue to deal strictly against labour law violators, the Manpower Ministry also looks at the problem compassionately, waiving fines in several cases where stranded workers have no money or are suffering from serious illness.

Two cases of stranded workers in Oman, reported by Gulf News recently, have been solved thanks to the magnanimity of the Manpower Ministry and the Indian embassy.

“After Gulf News highlighted Mohammad Raffq’s plight his file was expedited at the Labour Court and he is leaving for India on Tuesday,” Rita Samuel Ruchika, who runs a web portal Helpline to aid expatriates in trouble, told Gulf News.

“This is great news, and thanks to efforts by Indian embassy officials Raffiq and his family will have a real get-together on Eid Al Adha,” she said..

According to her the Labour Department waived all his fines and the Indian Embassy paid for his return ticket to Hyderabad. “A Gulf News reader contributed 100 Omani riyals for Raffiq before he leaves for India.”

P.M. Jabir, Social Welfare Secretary with the Indian Social Club, also praised the Manpower Ministry in waiving fines for Indian ex-serviceman Bhuvana Mohan aka Babu, who leaves for Kochi on Tuesday.

However, Jabir added that the community welfare wing of the Embassy of India, led by Sanjay Ashthana, Attache, Community Welfare, Ebrahim and Abdul Rahim worked relentlessly to convince the local authorities to consider his case on compassionate grounds.

“Babu had overstayed by seven years and his fines only would run into thousands of riyals,” reckons Jabir, who also pointed out that at a time when fares to India are very high the Indian embassy did not hesitate to pay for Babu’s tickets back home.

“This year alone I have got over 100 tickets to send back stranded labourers and overall the Indian mission has given tickets to nearly 300 stranded expatriates to go home,” he revealed.

While showing no mercy to law breakers, the Omani authorities are not averse to waiving huge fines for helpless stranded or sick labourers.