File image of Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal
File image of Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal

The Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam government, after facilitating the return of 391 students from Kota, is now contemplating to bring back state’s 859 patients stranded across the nation due to the nationwide lockdown.

“We are consulting with the union civil aviation ministry and various airlines to try and bring back the patients by flight,” said Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“A number of patients have already completed their treatment and have expressed the desire to return to the state,” Sarma said while speaking to the media on Wednesday.

“As they have not fully recovered, hence it won’t be possible to bring them via road,” Sarma further added.

Sarma further informed that most of these 859 patients are stranded in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Vellore.

The government has already provided the patients with a sum of Rs 25,000 each as financial aid.

The state government on Sunday brought home 391 students who were studying in various institutes in Kota.