DERA BASSI: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today urged chief minister Bhagwant Mann to immediate put a blanket ban on all State advertisement and tours on the State aircraft and utilize the money so saved on providing appropriate relief to all those who have been adversely affected by incessant rains and floods.

The SAD president was speaking to newsmen while touring the villages affected by a breach in the Ghaggar and Jhirmal rivers in this constituency.

Mr Sukhbir Badal said while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had allocated Rs 750 crore for advertising this year, it was spending crores of rupees on the State aircraft which was primarily being used to facilitate AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal’s visits to different States as part of a drive to expand the party. “These are trying times. People are clamouring for concrete help. The AAP government should put a ban on advertisements as well as luxuries like use of helicopters and aircraft and utilize this money to compensate those whose houses have been damaged by rainwater as well as those whose crops have been destroyed”. He said this was all the more important because the chief minister had recently given a statement that he would not ask for money from the centre. “The State must then generate its own resources by cutting down on extravagant expenditure”.

While touring villages of Sarseeni, Tiwana and Alamgir farmers approached the SAD president and told him that sand had entered their fields due to flooding and that they would have to remove the same once the situation normalized. Mr Badal spoke to the Mining Officer and requested him to ensure that farmers removing sand from their fields were not harassed on the pretext of doing illegal mining.

Mr Badal also appealed to Punjabis to chip in to help those who had been adversely affected due to flooding. “I appeal to Punjabis to make whatsoever contribution they deem fit for this cause”. He also disclosed that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had been working assiduously since the last one week and had provided langar sewa in all affected areas besides medical care. “Those wishing to donate to this noble cause may send their donations to the SGPC Account in HDFC Bank Amrtisar (Bazaar Dhobian), Acc no 55055013131313, IFFC Code – HDFC-0001313, MICR 143240006.

Mr Badal again called for prompt release of relief to the affected persons adding those whose houses had been destroyed should be given Rs 5 lakh each while interim relief of Rs 25, 000 per acre should be provided to those whose paddy crop had been destroyed.

Senior leader and former legislator N K Sharma accompanied the SAD president on his visit.