CHANDIGARH: In order to feed the needy, poor, paying guests (PGs) and other as to the nation –wide shut down now langar (community food) is being prepared in many gurdwaras across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
Gurdwaras across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi is preparing langar to feed the homeless during the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Rooms for isolation wards and quarantine facilities for the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients will be set up in 'Serai' (Inn) of the Gurudwaras.
Talking with this correspondent, Chief Secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) Dr Roop Singh said, "we have issued directions to all the 90 big historic gurdwaras in the state to prepare langar and get it distributed to the people in need with help from the local district authorities during this time of crises.
We have limited manpower during this time as curfew passes cannot be issued to everyone and the devotees who offer their help for cooking the langar cannot come therefore best possible efforts are being made by the present team of people in various gurdwaras.’’
"We have also told the government that we can offer rooms in various gurdwaras for setting up of isolation wards and quarantine facilities for the treatment of coronavirus-affected people’’ he said.
Hardeep Singh member of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) from Mohali said that the gurdwaras in Phase 8, 9, 10, 4 and Sectors 70 and 71 in Mohali have started preparing langar for the needy living in colonies and villages, paying guests (PGs) as the children and people living there have no source of food. It has been decided to pump in maximum possible sources for this cause.
The langar would be distributed through the SGPC vehicles and through the administration as the demand is increasing every moment. Earlier, for the last three days, langar was being supplied to the emergency staff and needy people in different colonies and villages of Mohali in two vehicles of gurdwara Amb sahib in Phase VIII."
"We have set up control at Sector 70 gurdwara for coordination, procurement of material and distribution and the administration there will also help us,’’ he said.
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DGMC) has offered 'Serai' (Inn) at Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla on the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi for setting up of isolation wards and quarantine facilities for the treatment of coronavirus-affected people.
Confirming this, DGMC President Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that rooms will be given to the health staff who will be treating the patients and provide langar to patients and staff.
They will also give food packets to the government to be distributed to the needy.