Sirsa villagers extend helping hand to flood-hit farmers in Punjab

People from Sirsa district are coming forward to help those affected by floods in Punjab. Many residents from Sirsa have already left for Punjab with essential supplies. A group of volunteers from the Bharokhan village left on Monday night, carrying food items, medicines and other necessary goods.

The villagers of Bharokhan said they had a long-standing bond with Punjab and were helping due to humanity and brotherhood. They mentioned that during past farmers’ protests, Punjab and Haryana had always supported each other.

The volunteers plan to go directly to Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab. Depending on the situation there, they would either cook and serve food or distribute dry rations at local gurdwaras. They will help prepare meals and then deliver these to the affected people. Villagers from Balasar, another village, also sent food supplies for the flood victims in Punjab.

Prabhu Bhambhu, a resident of Bharokhan, shared that they had spoken to the people in Punjab and left after preparing according to their needs. He said, “As soon as we got the message, we left. It’s our duty as humans to help others.”

Farmer Surender Roj said this was the first round of help. A second round would be sent next week after assessing the ground situation in Punjab. In the first round, they took 100 sacks of wheat flour, 250 boxes of water, 25 large boxes of biscuits, 1,500 boxes of juice, 20 kg of pickles and refined oil.

Meanwhile, BKU (Bhartiya Kisan Union) state president Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh held a meeting at Janata Bhawan office in Sirsa to discuss support for the flood-affected people. Aulakh said Punjab had suffered heavy losses, thousands of villages, crops, and livestock were destroyed. Continuous rains were still causing trouble, and sowing for the next crop season might not be possible in many areas.

He warned that there was high risk of diseases spreading due to standing water and dead animals. Many fields were covered in sand, and it would take a long time to restore them for farming. He praised Punjab’s history of sacrifice and service to the country, saying that Punjabis have always been the first to help during disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, and the Covid pandemic.

Aulakh said the whole country stood with Punjab in this crisis, and people from all over India were sending help. In Haryana, the villagers were collecting food, animal fodder, and other relief items. He advised the farmers from Haryana to visit flood-hit areas in Punjab personally before sending supplies, so the help reached those who needed it the most.