PATIALA: Guru ke langar being run by two saints from Punjab and Haryana in the drought-hit areas in Baran and Dungarpur districts of Rajasthan are daily feeding more than 50,000 people, who were earlier forced to eat ‘rotis’ made from grass.
Sant Mann Singh Pehowawale is running Guru Nanak ka langar at Sitabari village in Baran district, where around 45,000 people are being provided meals two times a day.
After the reports of death due to starvation in these areas, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had requested Baba Mann Singh who immediately sent 35 truckloads of ration to Sitabari on November 6 and started langar there from November 8.
DIG (Patiala range) I P S Sahota had requested Baba Ajit Singh Hansaliwale, who started langar in Pithu village in Dungarpur district, where more than 5,000 people are being provided food. Recently, Sahota had also flagged off six truckloads of ration, donated by people especially ‘arhtiyas’ and sheller-owners, to Pithu from Sangrur.
Sahota said that both the saints had assured that they would continue the langars till the arrival of the next crop to the mandis in April next year. He added that the saints had assured that they would continue the langar for a longer period if required. According to official reports, around 2.5 lakh people, especially the tribals living in 452 villages of Kishanganj and Shahbad tehsils of Baran district, were facing starvation due to drought. At Sitamari, people come to have food from as far as 50 km, reports reaching here said, adding that around 6,000 people had started living near the langar site.
All the needy people are served tea and pakoras in the morning. Besides, they are also being provided a sweet dish once a day. The area is without electricity, so three generator sets have also been installed. Recently, Baba Mann Singh Pihowawale had visited Sitamari and the people of Baran led by zila parishad chairman Bharat M expressed their gratitude by erecting around two dozen gates to welcome him, Harpreet Singh Gill of Amloh, who had accompanied the baba, said.
SOURCE:
APA
“Langars feeding 50,000 drought-hit in Rajasthan.” Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 2002. Retrieved August 17, 2009 from accessmylibrary: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-26870350_ITM