In 2 days, Sukhbir distributes Rs 20 lakh, over 60,000 litres of diesel
Earlier, after receiving a video appeal from residents of Balachaur constituency, Badal said that Akali workers dispatched 1,000 litres of diesel, tractors, and earthmovers to strengthen Sutlej embankments at Auliapur and Dhangar.
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Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal hands out cash to flood-affected villagers in Patiala, Friday. (Harmet Sodhi)Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal Friday handed over cash and thousands of liters of diesel to village committee heads in Patiala as urgent flood relief.
After distributing Rs 10 lakh and over 20,000 litres of diesel in flood-affected villages along the Ghaggar in Shutrana, Lehra and Moonak constituencies Friday, he said, “People need diesel to run tractors for bringing mud, stones, iron mesh or other material and money to buy this. If the government had been providing resources, there would have been no need to give cash to the committees. Distributing langar and ration is not a priority right now as gurdwaras and communities are managing it on their own. Instead, the larger need of the hour is diesel for tractors and boats, and cash to purchase reinforcement materials.”
On Thursday, he toured villages in Patiala and Sangrur districts and provided Rs 3 lakh cash and 9,000 litres of diesel to the local committees. At Makror Sahib in Lehra in Sangrur district, he handed over Rs 1 lakh and 2,000 litres of diesel, while in Moonak in Sangrur, he distributed Rs 2 lakh and 2,000 litres of diesel.
In Ropar’s Chamkaur Sahib, he drove a tractor to reach a dhussi bundh. At Sarangpur Fasse, he gave Rs 2 lakh, and at Daudarpur, he announced another Rs 2 lakh along with 1,000 litres of diesel and promised 5,000 more litres soon. He also assured villagers that 500 Akali workers would assist in strengthening the bundh.
In two days, he distributed Rs 20 lakh and over 60,000 litres of diesel.
Earlier, after receiving a video appeal from residents of Balachaur constituency, Badal said that Akali workers dispatched 1,000 litres of diesel, tractors, and earthmovers to strengthen Sutlej embankments at Auliapur and Dhangar.
While interacting with farmers on Friday, Badal said that channelisation Ghaggar by building concrete embankments is the only way forward to save hundreds of villages in Patiala and Sangrur. “The SAD government had earlier completed the first phase from Khanauri to Makror Sahib, and we will ensure the second phase is taken up on priority if voted to power,” he said.
He also criticised the Congress and the AAP governments for leaving the project incomplete. “It is unfortunate that neither the state nor the Centre has announced any relief package for farmers when immediate relief is needed,” he said.
Farmers, while interacting with him in Shutrana, said the AAP government had compounded their woes by refusing to let them take out earth from the Ghaggar to strengthen their bundhs. “The government did nothing to strengthen the bundhs. When we asked for permission to strengthen them ourselves by taking out silt from the Ghaggar we were not given permission for the same”.
Urging the people to remain in ‘Chardhi Kala’ (in high spirits) amid slogans of “Sukhbir Singh Badal Jindabad” and “Kisana di Sarkar phir aavegi”, the SAD president said “the SAD cadre will assist you in not only strengthening your bundhs but also in clearing out sand from your fields once the water subsides”.
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