Punjab: SGPC to grow paddy saplings on 53 acres to support flood-hit farmers

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Thursday decided to grow paddy saplings on around 53 acres of land belonging to various gurdwaras to support the farmers the lands of whom were washed in the flood waters.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday decided to grow paddy saplings on around 53 acres of land belonging to various gurdwaras to support the farmers the lands of whom were washed in the flood waters.

There has been a huge loss of farmers’ crops due to floods in Punjab. (ANI File)

The SGPC secretary, Partap Singh, said that there has been a huge loss of farmers’ crops due to floods in Punjab, in view of which the SGPC president, Harjinder Singh Dhami, has ordered to grow saplings in the land of different gurdwaras under the SGPC management.

He said that under this initiative, paddy saplings will be grown on 10 acres of land at Gurdwara Baba Gandha Singh Ji in Barnala, 12 acres at Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Dasvin Heran in Ludhiana, 15 acres at Gurdwara Sri Nankiana Sahib in Sangrur, 5 acres at Gurdwara Sri Manji Sahib Kotan in Ludhiana, 8 acres at Jalalabad farm of Sri Darbar Sahib and 3 acres at Gurdwara Baba Bir Singh Ji Rattoke in Tarn Taran. He said that late varieties of paddy will be sown so that the affected farmers can benefit from it. He said the apex gurdwara body is serving humanity by reaching out to the needy. “The SGPC has been providing services in the flood-affected from day-one. Accordingly, efforts are being made by the SGPC to bring back the people stuck in Himachal Pradesh (HP) safely to Punjab,” he said.

Partap Singh said that under the leadership of SGPC member from Himachal Daljit Singh Bhinder, the team of manager of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Gurpreet Singh and assistant manager Sandeep Singh, reached Mandi city in HP, who took stock of the situation there and started work to help the needy with the management committee of Gurdwara Sahib in Mandi. Partap Singh said that a large number of pilgrims who went to visit the Gurdwara Sahib situated in HP have stayed here due to floods, and the SGPC is working to bring them back to Punjab. He said that today a bus carrying 50 people left for Sri Anandpur Sahib from Mandi. Similarly, the rest of the people will also be brought back safely to Punjab. The SGPC secretary also said that while langar from different gurdwaras under the management of SGPC is reaching the people affected by water, the medical teams are also providing their services on the ground in affected areas. He said the SGPC has also made adequate arrangements for accommodation in gurdwaras for the affected families as per the requirement.

Executive meeting today

SGPC executive committee meeting is being held on Friday in Amritsar with a short notice of 72-hours. It will be on single agenda which was not disclosed to the members. As per sources, the SGPC may take final decision on arrangements of the live telecast of gurbani kirtan from Golden Temple after July 23 , the last date of an 11-year agreement with PTC channel for the telecast.