By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 13, 2016 : Odisha government on Monday asked eight Chinese nationals working under a Thai company at the Dhamra port in Odisha’s Bhadrak district to quit India , officials said here.

The Chinese nationals were working for a Thai company at the Dhamra Port had ‘business visas’ instead of ‘work visas’ which is a mandatory requirement for foreign nationals for taking up jobs in India.

Odisha Home Secretary, Asit Tripathy said, “ Last week we received a letter from the union ministry of home affairs (MHA), that 10 Chinese nationals were working under a Thai company for Dhamra Port. The MHA has advised us to instruct them to quit India by adopting appropriate procedures. Immediately, Bhadrak SP who is the Foreigner Registration Office (FRO) in this case and Director Intelligence have been informed. According to information available with me, the Director Intelligence has already verified it. There are eight Chinese nationals instead of 10 mentioned in the letter. They have been served with ‘Quit India notice’ and necessary procedures are being applied as per provisions of the relevant law.”

Bhadrak police has served notices to these eight Chinese nationals to leave India by June 17.

“All the eight Chinese nationals have been served with notices to leave India by 17th of June,” informed Bhadrak superintendent of police Nihar Ranjan Das.

Sources Eight Chinese nationals, working on an expansion project of Adani Group-controlled Dhamra Port Company Limited in Bhadrak district, were asked to leave the country by June 17, said Bhadrak SP Nihar Ranjan Das today.

Das added individual notices were served to the eight Chinese nationals this evening.

The government action in this regard came as the foreigners were found engaged in work at a place close to the missile-launch facility at APJ Abdul Kalam Island, earlier known as Wheeler’s Island.