Amritsar’s voluntary groups join forces to aid flood victims

Three relief camps have been established in Ajnala to assist flood-affected families, with 300 people taking shelter there so far. While the Red Cross, the Health Department and the Amritsar Rural Police are leading the rescue and relief efforts on behalf of the district administration, several voluntary non-profit organisations, including Voice of Amritsar, Phulkari-Women of Amritsar and religious sects and temple associations, have also launched extensive relief operations in the city.

The Animal Husbandry Department has received 142 quintals of silage (dry fodder) and about 800 quintals of feed for animals. Of this, 500 quintals of feed and around 100 quintals of green fodder have already been distributed.

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said any person or organisation can visit the Red Cross office in Amritsar or the Market Committee office in Ajnala to contribute essential supplies such as rations, drinking water and fodder for animals in the flood-affected areas. Relief camps have been set up at Dana Mandi, Ajnala; Bhala Village Sugar Mill, and Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh. Additionally, a special relief camp for cattle has been established at Dana Mandi, Ajnala, where veterinary services are also being provided, she added.

Meanwhile today, Voice of Amritsar has stocked dry rations, essential goods such as dry snacks, bleaching powder and other necessary items at Gurudwara Chhevin Patshahi, Ranjit Avenue. “We are in direct contact with the Indian Army and Khalsa Aid volunteers and they don’t require dry rations at the moment. A truck containing 300 cartons of drinking water has already been dispatched and we have enough stock of dry rations, including 200 kg of atta, 200 paracetamol tablets, and mosquito nets. We are also preparing to send bleaching powder, mosquito repellents and diarrhoea medicine as soon as the need arises,” said Seenu Arora, executive member of Voice of Amritsar.

Anti-allergens and anti-venom for potential snake bites will also be collected and sent to Health Department officials. The Indian Medical Association’s Amritsar Chapter donated 1,000 first-aid kits to the Health Department. Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur said these kits will be used to assist the flood victims and medical supplies for flood relief are being stocked in advance.

Dr SP Singh Oberoi, founder of the Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust, also donated 63 quintals of dry rations to the district administration for flood-affected villages.

Phulkari-Women of Amritsar has also initiated a relief drive, collecting essentials. The three relief camps in the city — at Gurudwara Chhevin Patshahi, Ranjit Avenue; Krishna Dham Temple, Green Avenue; and Gurudwara Kabir Park — have nearly run out of space for stocking up additional relief supplies.