Expressing solidarity with people of Nepal, Bihar and West Bengal who were suffering serious hardships due to major earthquake in the region, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that the state government would send the relief material including food items for the victims of one of the worst natural calamities that has ravaged Nepal beyond anyone’s imagination.Presiding over a high level meeting of senior officers of state administration here at his office this morning, the Chief Minister said it was the bounden duty of every Punjabi to provide succor to the victims of the earthquake in this hour of grave crisis. He said that the state government would send the relief material for the victims of one of the worst natural calamities that has ravaged Nepal and surrounding areas besides causing substantial damage to life and property in the states of Bihar and West Bengal. Mr. Badal said that the state government in association with Shiromani Gurdawara Prabhandak Committee would perform Langar sewa in the earthquake affected Nepal and Bihar so that people could be bailed out in this hour of crisis. “It is our firm commitment to extend a helping hand to the hapless victims of this grave tragedy” he reiterated.
The Chief Minister directed the officers of the state government to personally oversee the entire relief and rehabilitation operations for the victims, so that no stone was left unturned for this noble cause. He also asked them to ensure adequate deployment of staff and vehicles for proper disbursement of relief material to the victims in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Mr. Badal asked the officers to expedite the work for entire relief operations so that timely help could be given to the needy.The Chief Minister also appealed to the people of Punjab to come forward and donate generously for this noble cause as the Punjabis were known for magnanimity and sense of belongingness world over. He called upon them to demonstrate their all pervasive spirit of charity for helping the ill fated sufferers of this serious tragedy. “It is the high time that Punjabis must not leave any stone unturned to accomplish this noble task with missionary zeal” added Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister also said that the control room set up by the state government at Chandigarh to facilitate the residents of Punjab, who have been stuck up in earthquake affected Nepal, should be made more effective. Likewise, he said that Punjabis landing at Delhi Airport were being rendered full assistance by the Punjab Government representatives at the Airport and Punjab Bhawan New Delhi.Prominent among who attended the meeting, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Mr. Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Food & Civil Supplies Mr. G. Vajralingam, Principal Secretary Finance Mrs. Vinnie Mahajan and Secretary SGPC Mr. Dalmegh Singh.