Chandigarh, Sep 4 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Members of Parliament have announced that they will use their MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds for flood relief works.

Along with this, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members of the AAP said they are standing shoulder to shoulder with people in the flood-affected regions.

Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak visited flood-affected areas of Ferozepur to review rescue operations and announced Rs 5 crore from his MPLADS funds for flood relief.

Similarly, Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha visited flood-hit areas of Gurdaspur district and declared Rs 3.60 crore from his MPLADS fund for relief works.

Fellow upper house member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who has been continuously engaged in relief operations in different parts of Kapurthala district for several days, also announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh from his discretionary funds. In addition, he has released special helpline numbers to support flood victims at the personal level.

Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sahney has also committed a total of Rs 5 crore, drawing from both his MPLAD funds and philanthropic funds.

He announced that he is extending financial support to the State Disaster Relief Force for the procurement of advanced boats for flood rescue operations and modern machinery for river desilting. He further committed funds for the creation of robust flood protection embankments to safeguard vulnerable areas from future calamities.

Sahney also said that his NGO, Sun Foundation, is actively engaged in ground-level relief operations. With an expenditure of over Rs 1 crore so far, the foundation has provided motorboats and ambulances while also distributing dry ration, medical kits, hygiene supplies, and fodder for livestock to families severely affected by the floods.

Another Rajya Sabha member, Harbhajan Singh, allocated Rs 30 lakh from his funds for mobile water tankers and fogging machines. Furthermore, he released Rs 17.32 lakh for three boats for Ferozepur, two boats for Kapurthala, and one boat for Gurdaspur. He also announced four boats for Jalandhar.

Hoshiarpur MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal announced Rs 50 lakh from his MPLADS funds. This amount will be used to strengthen embankments at different locations in the district. Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who has been engaged in relief efforts in the Ajnala area of Amritsar, announced Rs 25 lakh from his MPLADS funds to the Amritsar administration.

Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal also contributed Rs 20 lakh from his discretionary funds for Amritsar. Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang inspected the embankments of the Sutlej river at Bela Tajowal in Nawanshahr district, as well as the erosion along the Patiala Ki Rao passing through Nayagaon in Mohali district. He released Rs 20 lakh from his MPLADS funds for the strengthening of the Sutlej embankment at Bela Tajowal.

–IANS

vg/vd