In a benevolent gesture, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today flagged off the first consignment of relief material for the earthquake victims of Nepal from the Chandigarh airport. The Chief Minister accompanied by senior officers of the state government today flagged off a special aircraft IL-76 of the Indian Air Force with relief material including 65 quintal of rice, 20 quintal pulses, 40 quintal refined oil, 15 quintal onion, two quintal ginger, six quintal salt, 75 kg each of turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder, three quintal of jeera, 15 quintal of sugar, 1.5 quintal of tea and 50 quintal of milk powder. Likewise, the plane also carried 1000 blankets, 5000 shawls, 200 plastic covers and 500 kg of milk for children for the earthquake affected Nepal.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister reiterated firm commitment of the state government to help the earthquake affected people of Nepal. He said that the relief material has been send by the state government as per the directions of the Government of India who had talked to their Nepalese counterpart to ascertain their requirement of relief material for the earthquake victims in this hour of crisis.
Badal said that the state government was committed to provide succor to the people of Nepal, who had been rendered homeless due to recent earthquake, thereby keeping alive the traditions of Punjab’s bonhomie to help the needy in difficult times. The Chief Minister further said that the state government would further dispatch consignments of relief material, as and when required by Nepal. Describing the earthquake in Nepal as a grave tragedy, Mr. Badal expressed his complete solidarity with the people of Nepal adding that the Punjab government has deputed several senior Civil and Police officers/officials for carrying out relief measures in Nepal. He highly appreciated the superb work done in performing Langar sewa by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee besides other religious and social organization. A team of officers comprising Mr. Dilraj Singh IAS, Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr. Naunihal Singh and Secretary SGPC Mr. Dalmegh Singh besides few heads of religious organizations also left for Kathmandu to hand over the relief material. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, his Principal Secretary Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Food and Civil Supplies Mr. G Vajralingam and Principal Secretary Coordination Mrs. Ravneet Kaur.