While thousands of families have been affected by the severe floods in Punjab, onion traders from Lasalgaon in Nashik district have extended a helping hand and set a good example of social commitment. 40 tonnes of onions have been sent directly to Punjab to help the flood victims, and their market value is more than five lakh rupees.
This onion truck, which left Lasalgaon, will travel 1600 kilometres to reach the flood victims in Punjab directly. Local drivers also helped themselves to load the onions from the traders' warehouse onto the truck. The cost of about two and a half lakh rupees for this transport has been borne by Gurdwara Guptasar Sahib in Manmad and the Sikh community.
This initiative has further strengthened social unity and the 'relationship of humanity' between the two states of Maharashtra and Punjab. This joint effort of traders and Sikh brothers will help the people affected by the crisis, and this initiative of the onion traders of Lasalgaon has been an inspiration for society.
As Punjab continues to reel under flood fury, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan visited the affected areas of the state - Amritsar, Gurdaspur districts - on Thursday, and said that the Centre fully stands with the people of Punjab in this difficult hour.
Meanwhile, continuous rains and more discharge from the Bhakra and Pong dams threaten to further worsen the flood situation in the state. A controlled outflow from the Bhakra dam was necessitated as its water level on Thursday was about 1,679 feet, a foot away from its maximum level.
