The Indian embassy has received 1,654 labour-related complaints from workers since January, an official statement said, without providing details and nature of grievances. 

The labour and community welfare section received 3,943 complaints in 2014. 

The statement follows the monthly Open House the embassy held to address urgent consular and labour-related problems of its nationals.

Ambassador Sanjiv Arora, Deputy Chief of Mission R K  Singh and other officials met complainants and discussed their problems. 

Baby Kurien, Vice-President,  Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), which works under the aegis of the embassy for the welfare of workers, was present.

A total of 144 Indians were at the deportation centre and 91 in the central prison and an embassy team visited the facilities to enquire about their welfare.

The embassy registered 18 deaths in May, while the number of deaths registered since January is 118. The number of deaths registered in 2014 was 279.

Following requests from Qatari authorities for travel documents for inmates at the deportation centre, the embassy issued 26 emergency certificates in May and 15 air tickets to Indians in distress to return home. 

ICBF provided seven air tickets to those who could not afford travel expenses to facilitate their deportation. 

It is organising a health and yoga awareness workshop for workers on June 5, at 7am at Indian Cultural Centre. It is open to all and being held as part of activities to commemorate the first International Day of Yoga. 

Last December, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution presented by India to declare June 21 as International Day of Yoga. The resolution had received 177 co-sponsorships. Qatar was one of the co-sponsors. 

As seen on The Peninsula

A total of 118 Indian expatriates have died in Qatar this year, the monthly Open House of the Indian embassy was informed on Thursday.
During May, 18 Indians died in Qatar. The number of deaths registered at the Indian embassy in 2014 was 279.
An embassy team visited the Central Prison and Deportation Centre earlier this week. A total of 91 Indian nationals are serving sentence at the Central Prison and the Deportation Centre houses as many as 144 Indians.
The embassy's Labour and Community Welfare Section has received 1,654 complaints so far this year as against 3,943 during 2014.
On the basis of requests from the Qatari authorities for travel documents for inmates at the Deportation Centre, the embassy issued 26 emergency certificates this month, the Open House was told.
The embassy has issued air tickets to 15 Indian nationals in distress for their return.
The Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) is organising a 'Health and Yoga Awareness' workshop for workers on June 5 at 7am at the Indian Cultural Centre. The workshop, open to all community members, is being held as a part of the activities to commemorate the 1st International Day of Yoga.
It may be recalled that the United Nations General Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution presented by India last December to declare June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution had the honour of receiving a record 177 co-sponsorships, including from Qatar.
At the meeting, ambassador Sanjiv Arora, deputy chief of the mission R K Singh and other officials met the complainants, discussed their issues and assured them that the mission would actively follow up their cases with the local authorities. ICBF vice president Baby Kurian also attended the Open House