13 Ludhiana firms donate Rs 5.3 crore to Rangla Punjab Fund

The state government is approaching Punjabi industrialists and non-resident Indians to contribute generously to the newly created Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund, for helping it in rebuilding the flood-ravaged state.

Representatives of 13 industries from Ludhiana came here on Tuesday and handed over cheques worth Rs 5.32 crore to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as contribution towards the fund. Each of them donated between Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

Industry and NRI Affairs Minister Sanjeev Arora donated Rs 50 lakh in the fund. “Since the donations made to the fund are exempt from the Foreign Currency Regulations Act and also account for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending of companies, I request NRIs and corporates to donate liberally,” Arora said.

He said 8,500 km road stretches and 2,500 bridges had been damaged due to floods. Around 2,500 villages have been hit hard, while buildings of 3,200 schools, 1,400 public health facilities and other government departments had also been damaged, he said.

Among those who donated money in the fund were Nahar Industries, Happy Forgings, Ceigall India, Octave Apparels, Vardhman Spinning Mills, Trident Group, GB Realty Group, Bector Foods, Ari Sudana Spinning Mills, Rockman Foundation, Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings and Ralson Group.

‘All relief camps closed’

Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian today informed that all relief camps had been closed as flood-hit people had left for their homes.

The minister said a total of 219 relief camps were set up across Punjab, accommodating 8,270 inmates from time to time. With improving conditions, the numbers kept declining and today not a single camp remains active, marking a complete return of all displaced families to their villages and homes.

Mundian said since August 1, 23,340 people had been safely evacuated from vulnerable and marooned areas. He added that the administration provided temporary shelter, food, medicines and essential services at the relief camps. He said the authorities also ensured sanitation measures, including debris clearance, carcass disposal, sewer cleaning and repair of damaged public assets.