Key Points

Addressing the media after flagging off the trucks at the grain market here, the SAD president said party observers who had visited flood-affected areas had reported a severe shortage of fodder for livestock, and accordingly, the party had decided to procure maize silage for distribution in flood-affected areas.

He said that, simultaneously, poor people had reported that they were short of rations due to the loss of livelihood for one month. "Accordingly, we have decided to provide wheat to 50,000 families".

Sukhbir Badal also announced that the SAD and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) would each distribute certified seed for one lakh acres of land.

"With the SAD and SGPC taking on the responsibility of distributing certified seed for two lakh acres of land, I appeal to the Punjab government to distribute seed in the remaining two lakh acres of land affected by the floods to cover the entire affected area," he said, according to a release.

He said the Punjab government should also take on the responsibility of distributing DAP free of cost to all farmers across the affected four lakh acres of land, besides contributing to clearing the land of sand by deputing tractors for this purpose. Badal said the SAD on its part would also initiate the "tractor sewa" soon during the course of which it would provide diesel free of cost for clearing sand from flooded agricultural land.

Disclosing that the party had established a monitoring committee for regulating the entire flood relief operation, Badal said, "We are committed to assisting the farmers and the khet mazdoor stand back on their feet. Akali volunteers will work side by side with them to bring their fields back to normal".

He also appealed to other political parties and countrymen to help the flood-stricken farmers of Punjab. "The Khalsa Panth and Punjabis have reached out to help countrymen afflicted by natural calamities across the country. Now is the time to help Punjabis in their hour of crisis", he added.

Earlier, an 'ardas' was held before the trucks were flagged off. Badal said Youth Akali Dal President Sarabjit Singh Jhinjher and his team had been entrusted with the responsibility for distributing the maize silage.

The SAD president also interacted with farmers at Bharoana and Ahli bundhs on Sultanpur Lodhi and assured them that he would provide diesel, poclaine machines, iron meshes and tractors for strengthening bundhs, besides helping in clearing sand from farmer fields.

- ANI