Singer Gurdas Maan on Punjab floods: Heartbreaking to see our land devastated

Given the current situation in Punjab, singer Gurdas Maan says he is trying to step up for those affected: “We have sent medicines worth Rs5 lakh to five flood-hit districts and I contributed Rs25 lakh towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund; it struck me that I had to take the first step.”

The singer-composer Gurdas Maan is among the frontrunners who have come forward to help the flood-hit state of Punjab. “Seeing the condition of the state is heartbreaking for me and my family. Our beloved land is devastated,” says an emotional Gurdas.

Gurdas, who was travelling when he got the news of the floods, says the last two months have been exceptionally tough. “After the passing of my younger brother Gurpanth Maan, we have been dealing with a lot of emotional distress, and now this calamity has added to our grief. The devastation caused to Punjab is beyond comprehension. The kind of news and videos we are getting to see shows the wreckage left behind by the floods in Punjab. My wife, Manjeet, and I were unable to watch the videos as they left us teary-eyed.

On what needs to be done to help the state recover, Gurdas adds that his team is on the ground. “I had to take the first step to reach out. But the grim reality is that the actual work will only start once the water subsides. It’s only then the real situation surface and the actual losses can be evaluated.”

The legendary singer’s heart goes out to the people who have lost their homes, land, and cattle. “The most difficult part of one’s life is making a house for his family. I very well understand the blood and sweat it takes to get a house of your own. I too started from scratch. Ab wahi itne saare log aa khade hue hain bahut kaam karna hoga sabko mil ke to rehabilitate them and once again bring our land back on its feet. The thriving Punjab we all love will be back, I’m sure.”