Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has called an emergency meeting of district presidents and assembly in-charges on Monday at the party headquarters in Chandigarh to review Punjab’s worsening flood situation, senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema said on Sunday.
According to Cheema, the meeting will assess feedback from across the state and finalise a strategy to intensify relief operations. He noted that SAD cadres were already active on the ground but said the scale of devastation demanded greater mobilisation.
Earlier, Badal demanded a ₹20,000 crore relief and rehabilitation package for flood-hit Punjab, along with a complete farm loan waiver for both farmers and khet mazdoor. He urged the Centre to support Punjab’s farmers, who he said had borne repeated losses over the past three years without adequate compensation from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
“The nation owes it to Punjab’s farmers, who made the state the food basket of India, to stand with them in this crisis. A ₹20,000 crore package is essential to compensate for crop and house losses and to rebuild damaged infrastructure,” Badal said.
The SAD chief also announced a plan to desilt farmlands by deploying earth-moving machinery and volunteers across flood-affected regions. “Farmers have the right to clear their fields. I will personally lead this initiative and am ready to face any action to safeguard their interests,” he asserted.
Badal disbursed financial assistance and fuel for relief operations, including ₹15 lakh in cash and 25,000 litres of diesel to village committees for strengthening bundhs in several areas. He also provided ₹10 lakh and 15,000 litres of diesel in Nakodar, Phillaur, and Sahnewal constituencies to support earth-moving work.
The SAD president was accompanied during his visits by senior leaders Bachittar Singh Kohar, Rajkamal Singh Gill, Baldev Singh Khehra, and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon.
