UP: Meerut farmers send 10 tonnes of relief material for Punjab flood victims

Meerut, Sep 4 (PTI) Farmers from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut on Thursday dispatched 10 metric tonnes of relief material to flood-affected areas of Punjab under the leadership of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).

The supply materials were collected from more than a dozen villages here, BKU district president Anurag Chaudhary said.

The consignment includes rice, lentils, mustard oil, refined oil, mosquito nets, spices, tea, 5,000 packets of biscuits, 300 kg of salt, 1000 sanitary pads, 5000 fever and headache medicines, and other essential items.

"This is the first consignment, and more relief material will be sent in the coming days," Chaudhary said, criticising the Centre for not yet announcing a relief package for Punjab.

"The farmers of Punjab are our own. We will ensure they face no shortage of essentials. The attitude of the central government is unfair to Punjab's farmers," he added.

Several local farmers, including Sattay, KP, Vinod, Virendra, Krishanpal, Veer Singh, Rajendra, Bablu, Harsh Chahal, Anoop, Mohit, Vinay, Vipul, Sachin, Sunil, and Sukhpal, were present during the dispatch.

Punjab is currently battling one of its worst flood disasters since 1988, triggered by swollen rivers Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi and seasonal rivulets following heavy rainfall in catchment areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

The situation has been further aggravated by additional rainfall in Punjab, leaving more than 3.55 lakh people affected, killing 37, and destroying crops over 1.75 lakh hectares, officials said. PTI COR KIS OZ OZ