Around 1,500 volunteers from Dera Sacha Sauda are part of the ongoing rescue efforts at the collapsed factory site in Focal Point area of Jalandhar, and have earned praise for their humanitarian work.
Following instructions from dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh from Sirsa, these
volunteers, wearing a special uniform with insignia "Shah Satnam Ji Green S Welfare Force of Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS)," reached the site early Monday morning and started rescue operation.
"More than 1,500 volunteers from Moga, Ludhiana, Mansa and Bathinda districts arrived early Monday morning and helped evacuate several trapped workers from the collapsed building," state committee member of the welfare force, Sikander Singh, told HT.
To avoid chaos, the force coordinated with the district administration and was divided into two, with 800 volunteers assigned to work during the day and 700 in the night.
Gautam, an aspiring chartered accountant from Ludhiana, was seen cleaning up the debris of the collapsed building.
Another volunteer of the DSS force, Vijay Kumar Budlada, an industrialist, was also seen removing big iron bars.
Jagan Singh, 80, did not let his age come in the way and was seen encouraging other rescuers for active participation in saving lives of people trapped under the debris.
"In spite of being an old man, I don't consider myself weak to save lives of others, which is an important teaching of the dera chief," he added.
Surjit Singh, a dedicated follower of DSS and a bank employee, said he had been a part of the force for many years and was proud of it.
DSS volunteers, before eating lunch, raised their hands to pray for the safety of persons still trapped under the debris.
The NDRF, army and even the district administration appreciated the DSS role in the rescue efforts.
NDRF captain Ravinder Singh praised the effort and said the DSS volunteers carried on even in the rain.