In consonance with the commitment of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to help the people of flood affected Kerala, the Punjab government today sent 180 quintals of relief as the Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Varinder Kumar Sharma flagged off the first train carrying relief material to marooned state.The Deputy Commissioner flagged off the Kochuveli Express train in the morning from the platform number two of the city Railway station. A special bogey carrying the relief material for the flood ravaged Kerala state has been attached with the train that was expected to reach Kerala on Tuesday. Prior to this three C-17 and one IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force has already airlifted more than 1200 quintals of relief material by Punjab government from the Adampur airbase.Interacting with the media persons after flagging off the train, the Deputy Commissioner said that the bogey of the train contains 180 quintals of the relief material including 10,000 blankets, 23,000 chappals (sleepers), 10,000 sanitary napkins, 5,000 food packets, 500 cotton durries and others.
He said that on the appeal of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh various social and religious organizations of district along with the industrialists and philanthropists have generously donated for the relief material through the District Red Cross Society. Mr. Sharma said that he was personally grateful to all these people for extending a helping hand to the people of Kerala in this hour of distress.The Deputy Commissioner said that since a lot of help has been poured in through the people of the district so more relief material would be sent to Kerala through the trains. He said that as per the directions of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh district administration was duty-bound send maximum relief material to Kerala. Mr. Sharma said that the officers of district administration would soon finalize the plan for sending more relief material to Kerala in the coming week.Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Additional Deputy Commissioner Mr. Jasbir Singh, Revenue Officer Mr. KS Bhullar, Secretary Red Cross Mr. Paramjit Singh and others.