Kar Sewa sects doing yeoman service during Punjab floods

At a time when Punjab is battling the unprecedented floods following incessant rains and cloudbursts in the catchment areas of the Ravi, Beas and Satluj rivers in Himachal Pradesh, many religious organisations, NGOs, philanthropists, renowned personalities like Punjabi actors, singers and political leaders are taking active part in rescue operations, besides providing relief items to affected people.

During these rescue operations, two Kar Sewa sects have been doing yeoman services at various flood-ravaged areas in the state.

From providing food, ration, essential items to medicines, etc, to needy persons and fodder for animals, these sects are also playing an instrumental role in plugging the breaches in dhussi bundhs (earthen embankments), besides strengthening them.

The first Kar Sewa sect, Guru Ka Bagh, has been involved in the plugging of an around 500-m and about 30-40 feet deep breach in dhussi bundh at Ghonewal village in Ramdass. The district administration has reportedly approached the Sarhali Kar Sewa sect for plugging and strengthening the breaches.

As many as 14 breaches occurred in the dhussi bundh in Ajnala subdivision alone, flooding the entire Ramdass, Ajnala till Rajasansi and Lopoke. Most of the breaches occurred at Ghonewal and Machhiwal village, the two villages which were completely devastated by the floods. A huge number of houses collapsed in these villages.

Earlier, when the floods had struck different parts of Punjab, these sects had also provided water boats to rescue people from their house marooned in flooded waters.

The Samapardai Kar Sewa Sarhali, headed by Baba Sukha Singh, has been busy in plugging and strengthening the earthen embankments near Baupur Jadid village in tehsil Sultanpur Lodhi (Kapurthala). These bundhs were breached due to the erosion of soils due to the swelling Beas river. A team of Sampardai Kar Sewa Sarhali was among the first to reach affected areas to offer aid.

At present, the work of repairing embankments is under way at Marar, Kiriyan and Sabhra (Tarn Taran district) villages to prevent further erosion. Work also began on rebuilding the breached embankments of the Ravi at Ghonewal village, which will be completed soon.

Baba Sukha Singh said in 2023, sewa was performed from July 14 to October 20. This time as well, until broken river embankments are fully repaired and affected people get properly settled, the Sampardai will continue to provide its uninterrupted services.