Gavie Chahal, who has been a part of films like Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, and Torbaaz, waded through the waterlogged areas of the Urban Estate region near Patiala, Punjab to provide aid to those stuck amid the ongoing floods. Gavie joined hands with Khalsa Aid and posted a video, asking those in need to contact him. "Let's serve humanity," he wrote.
Speaking to an entertainment portal, Gavie said that he was shooting for an upcoming film in Punjab, but the incessant rains stalled it for a few days. After seeing visuals of Punjab being flooded he called a few friends and loaded a trolley with food, medicines, and some clothes, and reached out to help those in need.
He further stated that there were old people living alone, stuck on the ground floor of their homes with knee-deep water and hazardous objects like gas cylinders and electrical wires already submerged. He laid emphasis on the fact that his height is 6.3 ft and yet the water was up until his waist.
Relief work continued at a brisk pace in the flood-affected areas of Punjab where the rain fury has paralyzed daily life in the worst-hit parts. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also took stock of the situation in some of the affected areas.
During his visit to the affected areas, Punjab Chief Minister Mann told reporters in Patiala's Patran that he is constantly monitoring the situation and has directed the officials to extend all possible help to the people.
Considering the safety of students, the Punjab government on Thursday ordered all schools to remain shut till July 16. Earlier, it had announced holidays till Thursday.
More than 19,000 people have been shifted to safety from waterlogged localities in several of Punjab's affected districts while nearly 4,000 have been evacuated in neighbouring Haryana.
Punjab has also increased the number of relief camps to 183 from 127 in flood-affected areas to speed up the relief operations. The process of delivering dry food packets and necessary medicines to the affected people has also been expedited.
Teams of the Health Department are working alongside 315 Rapid Response Teams. The department has set up 186 medical camps. The Food and Civil Supplies Department has also expedited the work to deliver the food packets. The state is preparing 40,000 dry food packets while 23,600 packets have already been distributed.
