MOHALI: As Punjab grapples with the loss of life and livelihoods due to devastating floods in all 23 districts, Roundglass Foundation is committed to rebuilding village communities with sustained relief and rehabilitation work and by urging people to join them in these efforts.
With deep roots in 2.900 villages and a reach of 3 million (30 lakh) people, the Roundglass Foundation is uniquely positioned to deliver both rapid relief and long-term rehabilitation. The Foundation teams are already active in the worst-hit districts—Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Firozepur, Amritsar, Pathankot—working in close coordination with district administrations and the Government of Punjab. At present, Roundglass Foundation is focused on providing food, clean water, medical support, and temporary shelter for displaced families. In the long run, the team plans to undertake recovery and rehabilitation efforts, including rebuilding homes, restoring schools and health centres, reviving livelihoods, and repairing critical infrastructure.
“We are committed not just to immediate relief but to standing with Punjab’s communities long after the waters recede, helping them return to safety, dignity, and stability, ” said Gurpreet ‘Sunny’ Singh, founder, Roundglass Foundation. Our teams are working around the clock to deliver essential aid in worst worst-affected areas. We want to bring distressed villages back to normal and assure them of all our assistance. I urge everyone to join us in our efforts to rebuild the lives and livelihoods of the people in Punjab.”
Vishal Chowla, Leader, Roundglass Foundation, added, “Our teams are bringing in commodities that are in short supply, such as diesel for generators, tarpaulin, essential medicines, and fodder for cattle. Our network of Changemakers, spread across more than 2, 000 villages in the state, is helping us in gauging the ground situation and the help needed. At Roundglass Foundation, the people of Punjab are our partners and biggest champions. Today, in their hour of crisis, we stand by them and urge more people to come forward and help in rebuilding Punjab.” He came down heavily on Union Agriculture Minister Sh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his recent remarks linking floods with mining, calling the statement “insensitive” and an act of rubbing salt into Punjab’s wounds.
Responding to a query, Sh. Goyal said Punjab currently has around Rs.13, 000 crore in the Disaster Management Fund, but the Centre’s rigid conditions prevent the state from utilising it. He urged the Union Government to relax the norms so that people of Punjab can benefit.
Speaking on the Centre’s discriminatory attitude, the Water Resources Minister said that despite the discovery of potash reserves in Punjab’s border belt, no significant action has been taken. In contrast, Rajasthan was immediately granted drilling permissions at 150 locations and auctions were held. In Punjab, drilling was permitted only at nine sites. He reminded that he had raised the issue with the Union Minister months ago, but no action followed.
Sh. Goyal also criticised the Centre for fixing a meagre Rs.8, 200 per acre compensation from disaster relief funds for crop damage. He urged the Prime Minister to allow states autonomy in using disaster funds since state governments are better aware of ground realities.