Punjab has been hit by one of the worst flood disasters. With rivers like Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi swelling, several fields and homes have been inundated and destroyed. Triggered by intense rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the states faced several cloudbursts in August. Thousands of households were lashed by torrential rain as the wrath of nature took away their livelihood.
Amid this turbulent time, several Bollywood actors and Punjabi singers came forward to extend a helping hand to their community. From Sonu Sood to Karan Aujla, they all made an effort to provide immediate relief. Shah Rukh Khan‘s Meer Foundation reached out to the affected families and distributed over 1500 relief kits to support their rehabilitation.
SRK in Punjab
As per the latest reports, the non-profit organisation collaborated with an Amritsar-based NGO, Voice of Amritsar (VOA). The 59-year-old Bollywood actor visited the affected areas on Wednesday and claimed that the situation made his heart sink. The relief kits include medicines, hygiene supplies, food items, mosquito nets, tarpaulin sheets, folding beds, and cotton mattresses, among other essentials.
The Meer Foundation is also set to distribute gas stoves, fans, water purifiers, and other supplies to nearly 500 homes, revealed Seenu Arora, founding member of VOA. These homes are mainly located along the Ravi River. The Amritsar-based NGO is also working relentlessly to work with on-ground doctors for medical relief in Gurdaspur and neighbouring areas.
Bollywood chips in
Apart from SRK’s efforts, Salman Khan also talked about the situation in Punjab during his weekend episode in Big Boss 19. “We are doing as much as we can. We have contributed to the relief fund. Even famous singers from Punjab are helping in every way they can, keeping their rivalries aside,” he said. Reportedly, his Being Human Foundation also sent five rescue boats to aid ongoing relief operations.
At the peak of the calamity, several singers like Satinder Sartaj, Gippy Grewala, Babbu Mann, Ranjit Bawa, and Sunanda Sharma helped with relief programmes by providing rescue boats.