Balbir Singh Seechewal leads from the front in flood relief

Tribune News Service

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, July 16

From a dera saint to Rajya Sabha MP, Balbir Singh Seechewal (61) remains grounded despite having seen a meteoric rise in his political graph.

On Tuesday last, when administration experts were still in the planning stage after the floods had hit Lohian, Seechewal and his team members had gone far ahead starting the breach repair work at Mandala Chhana and reaching out to the marooned villagers in his boats. Had he not called in his army of daring volunteers in time, the bundh breach repair work might not have even begun by now. The Drainage Department was largely depending on its contractors and there was reportedly no plan to start repair as the Sutlej was in full spate.

Besides supervising the breach repair work, Seechewal has been daily driving his motorboat in villages for hours, providing bottled drinking water, food and medicines to the villagers. He is himself filling sandbags, carrying and dumping them at the breach site. He ensures the provision of langar, lassi and tea not just for his volunteers, but also for hundreds of visitors to bundhs daily. He has strictly ensured that there is no littering of disposables on the bundh and has also got bins installed there.

As he himself toils with his team, other AAP leaders such as Lok Sabha MP Sushil Rinku and Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh too joined him in the work. Even Seechewal’s gunmen have not remained behind. They too have happily contributed their bit for a quicker rehabilitation of over 16,000 affected villagers.

Ever since Seechewal has become an MP, he has been trolled on social media for not taking anti-AAP stand, especially in the Zira liquor factory case. But his role in the breach repair has brought him to the limelight again.

Daya Singh, Seechewal’s follower, says, “It has been a year since Seechewal had became an MP. We have not seen an iota of change in him. He continues to maintain the same level of humility, toughness, agility and strength to criticise and challenge officials of his own government. He has straightaway blamed the officials for not undertaking the de-silting work in time despite warnings.”

Sharing Seechewal’s social works till now, Daya shared, “He got the gaddi of dera in 1988. He started road relaying work in 1990 converting uneven, kucha passages into metalled road. He got road laid from Kala Sanghian to Lohian. He set up schools, colleges and sports academies. He set up nursery of fruit trees, distributing 4 lakh saplings for free every year. In July 2000, he took up the task to clean the Kali Bein. For the past two years, he has been pushing for promotion of Punjabi language.”

Plugs breach, holds langar

• MP Balbir Singh Seechewal daily drives his motorboat in villages, providing bottled drinking water, food and medicines to people. He himself fills sand in bags, carrying and dumping these at the breach site
• He ensures langar, lassi and tea not only for his volunteers, but also for villagers. He also got bins installed at the bundh to ensure that trash is not strewn

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Balbir Singh Seechewal