PHAGWARA: Rajya Sabha member and renowned environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has donated motor boats to two flood-affected villages of the Mand region from his discretionary funds. The boats were handed over to the villages of Sangra and Ahli Kalan, providing much-needed relief to residents marooned by stagnant floodwaters for over a month.
During this year’s floods, water levels in fields rose to as high as seven feet, leaving boats as the only mode of transport. Responding to repeated appeals from village panchayats, Sant Seechewal had earlier announced grants for four villages, two of which received boats today. The remaining three villages are expected to get boats in the coming days.
Local leaders lauded Sant Seechewal for standing “shoulder to shoulder” with affected families from day one. The Sarpanch of Sangra village said the Rajya Sabha member personally used his own boats to deliver drinking water and essential supplies to cut-off households. “He has played the role of a guardian for us, ” the Sarpanch remarked.
Ahli Kalan’s Sarpanch, Shaminder Singh, highlighted Seechewal’s long-standing service to the Mand region. Since 2008, he said, Sant Seechewal has supported flood-hit villages through various welfare initiatives, including purchasing an excavator with his salary to help strengthen embankments. That machine was notably deployed during the 2023 floods in Shahkot to fortify the Dhussi Bund and is still being used for repair works.
Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Gurmeet Singh and other administrative officials were present at the handover ceremony. Villagers expressed gratitude, calling the donation of boats a “lifeline” that will allow them to commute and manage daily needs until the floodwaters recede.