SULTANPUR LODHI, October 1— The aroma of jalebis, pakoras and hot chai now greets workers and visitors at the bundh site in Ahli Kalan village, where residents have set up a 24×7 langar to support ongoing embankment repair efforts.
The initiative began at the local gurdwara after a breach in the temporary bundh last month, but soon expanded directly to the repair site. For the past 10 days, villagers have been serving hot meals and refreshments round the clock to those working day and night to plug the breach.
“The langar hasn’t stopped since the day of the breach,” said Rashpal Singh, a farmer and one of the key coordinators. “It’s running continuously at the gurdwara and now also here on the bundh. People come asking what they can do to help — they bring ingredients and money.”
The panchayats of Ahli Kalan and neighboring Ahli Khurd have been coordinating supplies, manpower, and food arrangements. Young people from across Punjab and beyond have also joined the effort, bringing tractors, diesel, and donations.
To make the service smoother, a tent has been erected on-site with a trolley carrying essential ingredients. “This way, it’s easy to serve hot chai and meals to helpers, volunteers, and anyone passing by,” explained Shaminder Singh, another farmer closely involved in the drive.
He added that along with serving meals, volunteers are also carrying out desilting of the fields affected by the breach.
What began as a local act of sewa has transformed into a collective effort that continues to draw support from across the region, turning the bundh repair into both a community challenge and a shared responsibility.
