In a fervent move to address the mounting challenges faced by bereaved families, Pravasi India, a Dubai-based social welfare organization, has urged the Indian government to dismantle the beleaguered CARe (electronic clearance for repatriation of mortal remains) system introduced in August 2023.
On January 25, Pravasi India presented a comprehensive memorandum to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, asserting that the eCARe portal, designed to facilitate the swift transfer of deceased Indian nationals from abroad, has veered off course due to bureaucratic intricacies, procedural errors, and a dearth of available flights.
Hafisul Haq, the media secretary of Pravasi India, expressed deep concern over the prolonged delays caused by the eCARe portal, resulting in “immense mental trauma” and “financial difficulties” for grieving families. He emphasized that these delays often surpass the system’s intended approval timeframe of 12 hours.
During a meeting with key officials at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Pravasi India representatives, including UAE President Abdulla Savad, laid out their apprehensions and suggested remedial measures. The memorandum underscored the heightened anxiety caused by minor document errors, exacerbated by the portal’s lack of error notifications, especially impacting low-income individuals and those without adequate social support.
Pravasi India, having played a pivotal role in the repatriation of six bodies in January, is advocating for the scrapping of the eCARe system. Their proposal includes leveraging existing infrastructure like embassies and consulates for faster document reviews and approvals. Additionally, they recommend instituting prior clearance for embalming and emphasizing compassionate procedures, timely communication, and equal access for vulnerable groups.
In contrast to Pravasi India’s concerns, prominent UAE-based Indian social figure Ashraf Thamarassery dismisses them, asserting that the eCARe system operates seamlessly and provides faster processing compared to previous procedures. As a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2015, Ashraf, with over two decades of experience in transporting bodies from the UAE, stands by the effectiveness of the current repatriation system.
