Sukhbir Badal sends off first lot of Langar to earthquake victims in Nepal

New Delhi/Chandigarh, April 27, 2015: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will start air lifting of 50000 food packets everyday to Nepal. He said that both bodies will send 25000 packets of food each besides sending their teams to Kathmandu to initiate the preparation of fresh langars over there.

While dispatching first lot containing more than 10000 food packets and other relief material from Gurudwara Sri Bangla Sahib New Delhi, Badal said that a team of DSGMC had flown to Nepal to identify the suitable place for preparing fresh langar (community kitchen) over there. He said that a team was also being sent by SGPC for the same purpose to serve the humanity. He said that it was very unfortunate massive disaster in Nepal and in this hour of crisis the whole Punjabi fraternity was with earthquake victims.

He said a team of DSGMC had flown to Nepal to oversee the arrangements for preparation and to serve langar while cooks along with required man force and machinery would reach to prepare fresh food over there. He said as per the arrangements envisioned by DSGMC and SGPC fresh langar would be prepared for more than 10,000 victims daily. 

Answering a media query Badal informed that he had called on Union Defence Minister Manohar Parikar in the morning to provide them maximum space in the IAF planes so that packed food along with other relief material will be served as soon as possible. He said initially they were serving langars in Kathmandu and the same will be replicated in other affected areas after the assessments of teams reached there. 

Asserting that Punjab Government was fully alongside the people of Nepal in this hour of crisis, Mr. Badal informed the media persons that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had presided over a high level meeting of senior officers, where they had decided to send a special team to assist rescue teams running evacuation and other relief operations. He said that a team from Punjab would leave for Nepal soon, which would lend a hand in rescue and relief arrangements. He said Punjab government and both the religious bodies will provide all the required material whether perishable goods, clothes, tents etc in coordination with Government of India.  

Earlier Badal also visited the sites where Langar was being prepared and packed by Sangat in the premises of Gurudwara Sri Bangla Sahib. Prominent amongst those accompanied by Deputy CM were included former Union Minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, DSGMC Chief Manjit Singh GK, General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa etc.