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General The Role Of Sikh Organisations In Relief-work Of Kashmir Floods

aristotle

SPNer
May 10, 2010
1,156
2,653
Ancient Greece
The role of Sikh Organisations, be it organistaions like Khalsa Aid, United Sikhs and SGPC, or local Gurdwara management committees has been appreciable in helping alleviate the sufferings of the Kashmiri populace languishing in the wake of recent floods in the valley. So far, about 170 people are believed to be dead and over 1.5 Lakh still stranded in the flood-hit areas of the Indian province of Jammu & Kashmir.

Khalsa Aid has teamed up with organisations like Jammu & Kashmir Sikh Professionals (JKSP), Akaal Network (Delhi) and Voice of the Voiceless (Delhi) to help the scores of people currently stranded in their homes. Khalsa Aid has set up relief centres across Jammu & Kashmir where victims have access to food, temporary shelter and further information on how best to deal with the situation. In addition to the relief centers, Khalsa Aid volunteers have also prepared packages of food which are being flown out by the Indian Air Force. Furthermore, where possible Khalsa Aid volunteers are hand delivering food aid, blankets, diapers, baby food, cereal, medicines, socks, water bottles, energy drinks, chlorine for water purification and sanitary requirements directly to the homes where people are unable to leave due to flooding.

Moreover, Khalsa Aid has also decided to sponsor the education of about 60 children whose parents lost their lives when flash floods swept away a bus in Naushera, claiming 60 lives.

United Sikhs teams have been working in Srinagar, as well as areas like Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag that have only just become accessible. United Sikhs Relief team has already shipped 2100 blankets to victims in Srinagar. United Sikhs is also organising Goodwill Walk Ipoh to raise funds for Kashmir flood victims.

The SGPC has been approached by the Indian Army to prepare ready-to-eat food packets for atleast one lakh people to be air-flown to J&K. The community kitchens in Golden Temple and five other Gurdwaras of Amritsar are working day and night to prepare these food packets, which contain chapatis and prepared vegetables wrapped in aluminium foil. These food packets have been provided in addition to the relief material already being provided by SGPC to Jammu & Kashmir flood victims.

The Local Gurdwaras have also been responding in a proactive way for providing food and shelter as well as other relief work for the flood victims.

The Shahid Bunga Gurdwara in Burzulla area of the city has emerged as a major relief centre. Over 1,500 Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Ladakhis have registered at the control room set up within the Gurdwara for food, shelter, medicines and are being transported to the airport or to safer areas of Srinagar. Nearly 120 school students, who were in Srinagar to take part in various tournaments, also took shelter at the gurdwara for five days till they could be flown back home.

But what stands out is the Gurdwara committee’s decision to shift the holy Guru Granth Sahib to a smaller room so that flood victims can sleep in the main hall.

Moreover other local Gurdwaras are also preparing langar to be delivered to those stranded in the flood, in addition to providing temporary shelter and acting as registration and identification centres in the region.

(Sources: http://www.khalsaaid.org/JKFloods092014.html, http://unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-11-09-14-02.html, http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/NAT-T...cted-people-in-jammu-kashmir-4743655-NOR.html, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...to-help-jk-flood-hit/articleshow/42413860.cms)
 

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Harkiran Kaur

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Jul 20, 2012
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I was there... One day earlier I was on Dal lake in a houseboat and went for beautiful shikara boat ride and that's all gone. I was in Sonamarg next night when the heavy rain stared the. On my way to Leh / Ladakh when it happened. I was back in Srinagar within bout 5 days of the flood and it was horrible horrible horrible. The city (much of it) was impassible, cars still submerged to their roof, most colonies still had 4 feet of water off the main roads. Complete communication breakdown. No cell no landline no net. Run on petrol most places were out and the lineups and fights were incomprehensible. Dead cows everywhere in the streets (water was easily 8 feet at highest point and cows. can't swim. I saw body bags taking victims of the initial flood back to Kargil. It was horrible and I have many photos and will post the ones I deem forum safe...
 

Harkiran Kaur

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Writer
SPNer
Jul 20, 2012
1,393
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I am ok... I was in Srinagar though only a couple days after the flood. I missed the actual flood by only 2 days. We had spent night on Dal Lake in a houseboat, went for a Shikara ride, and it was beautiful. Then we went to Sonamarg the next night and that was the night the heavy rain started. It was the next day we found out what happened.

Going back through the city (the old city part was the only passable area and even there, we almost got stuck in3 feet of water in a Hyundai Santro... the water was nearly to the top of the door to the window. It was seeping in the bottom, and the poor engine was working hard but we made it through the bad spot. Everywhere we went though, every side street was still flooded, dead animals everywhere, garbage, the smell was indescribable.

It was heartbreaking...
 

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