Congress leader Capt Sandeep Singh to ‘adopt’ five Sultanpur Lodhi villages

The famous Chhapar Mela of Ludhiana has been called off this year in view of the devastating Punjab floods. However, one of the key organisers of the mela has decided to pool in the proceeds meant for the legendary fair towards the flood victims of the state.

Congress leader, the party’s Halka Incharge of Dakha and State General Secretary, office, Capt Sandeep Singh will be adopting five flood-affected villages of Sultanpur Lodhi.

This is the first formal declaration from a political leader to adopt villages in Doaba (for rehabilitation). A bevy of celebs and artists have already made similar declarations regarding villages in Majha.

Capt Sandeep Singh, will be extending all aide to the rehabilitation of villages - Mand Inderpur, Mand Andreesa, Ramgarh Daleli, Shawala Nakki and Qutabpur.

Capt Sandeep said, “I don’t exactly agree with the word adoption. We are just going to do sewa for some villages. Mand areas are sparsely populated and have about 50 houses per village. The community from Dakha has already been aiding them. Our purpose would be pool in tractors to remove sand, lay water pipes wherever needed by villagers, take care of medications amidst reduction in water and also provide wheat as needed. The idea is just to rehabilitate the villages.”

While he has been sending rations and aide through his team via tractors since day one of the floods, the Dakha Halka incharge chose Sultanpur Lodhi for the aide in view of the widespread damage in the constituency. He has been in touch with Sultanpur Lodhi Congress leader Navtej Singh Cheema regarding the same. While the Chhapar mela, in his own constituency, was also called off amidst damage sustained in Dakha as well, the mela’s cancelation meet, remained pivotal in his decision.

Speaking to The Tribune, Capt Sandeep Singh said, “There have been no floods in Dakha, but many homes of poor people fell due to incessant rains and in view of the scenario, we decided to cancel the mela. It was during the cancelation meeting that it dawned upon us that money for the mela could be used for our flood affected populace. Sultanpur Lodhi was the first area hit by floods and the damage there is extensive. It has suffered damage twice in three years. It is just about an hour from Dakha. We had already been sending some relief, all we are going to do is sending some more help.”

Help pours in

Sultanpur Lodhi already sees a lot of action in terms of help in terms of aid from tonnes of donors who queue up the bandhs everyday. From the Congress, LoP Partap Singh Bajwa along with Congress leader Navtej Singh Cheema toured the areas days ago, Cheema has also been pooling in help for the area. Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Partap, son of Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Sing has also been lauded by the local populace for his relentless aide for Sultanpur Lodhi. Apart from this, Baba Sukha Singh and his team from Sarhali and RS MP Balbir Singh Seechewal have also been lending continuous aide, langar, relief and rescue since day one of the floods.