CHANDIGARH: In August last year, villages along the Sutlej river in several districts, including Ludhiana, witnessed one of the worst floods in years after about 3 lakh cusecs of water was released from Ropar Headworks in the Sutlej river. More than 50 villages in Ludhiana district were hit by the floodwaters.
Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Ludhiana East Baljinder Singh Dhillon received a frantic call from a village where at least 50 people were stuck in their houses. Dhillion swung into action and alerted the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
After an overnight daunting operation, Dhillon and other officials managed to rescue the villagers. Dhillion, a doctor-turned-PCS officer, not only ensured that they were given food and essential supplies but also provided first-aid and medicines. "First, we strengthened the banks of Sutlej river as they are last repaired in 1986. Then each team along with the divers went to every house and rescued them," Dhillon says.
Dhillon, who worked as a medical officer in Punjab for nearly two decades before being posted in the Punjab Civil Service (PCS) executive branch in 2017, has been helping the poor and destitute for free.
The 45-year-old the SDM had joined the service at the state’s Food and Civil Supplies Department in 1999. "Since Day 1, my philosophy has been to help everyone who comes to my office even if it’s beyond my official capacity. At times, we are bound by our professional limitations, but I make sure that the assistance is provided to the person who needs it immediately," Dhillon says.
Besides helping the needly financially, the SDM says many a time he joined hands with NGOs or other social organisations to assist them. Serving beyond his official brief, the former medical doctor has claimed to have taken care of more than 1,000 patients as a bureaucrat. That include getting them treated for various ailments, providing medicines and rations, besides helping them monetarily. "My knowledge of being a doctor is certainly a big advantage," he says.
Recalling the tenure as a doctor at a private hospital in Ludhiana, Dhillon says: "I was a child specialist. A woman had come to my office with her son, who fainted after a snake bit him. The woman had no money for his treatment. I took an initiative for his treatment and collected money from other hospital staff for medicines."
During his tenure as a general assistant to the deputy commissioner of Jalandhar, Dhillon would treat at least 30 patients every day. "Elderly women, daily wagers, labourers used to turn up to me and narrate their ordeal as most of them were suffering from chronic diseases," he says.
Narrating another incident, Dhillon says: "Last year when I was posted as an SDM of Jagraon, two brothers, who had lost everything in the rains, came up to me. Their mud house was completely damaged and had lost their belongings and nowhere to go. I immediately contacted an NGO for its assistance. With its help, their house was renovated in no time. Besides, I also helped them get a job."
Helping during pandemic
Recently, some villagers had approached Dhillon as they were quarantined due to coronavirus. Thus, no one was ready to buy milk from them. As I contacted dairies to buy their milk. Also, the veterinary doctors were appointed to test the cattle.
"Dhillon is one of the most efficient and honest officers. Besides his official work, he is known for extending a helping hand to the poor," says additional director (retd) of the food and supplies department, Punjab, HS Sidhu.