Sonu Sood To NDTV: "Roads, Fields Destroyed, People Clueless About Future"

In Punjab's Kapurthala to assist those affected by the worst floods the state has seen since 1988, actor Sonu Sood and his sister Malavika Sood said that the biggest challenge lies in bringing back normalcy.

While on a rescue boat with NDTV in Kapurthala, Sonu Sood said food and other materials were delivered to those affected by the floods, but their future hangs in the balance. "Roads are gone, fields are destroyed and people don't know what to do in the coming months. A lot of people who need medical attention are are clueless. We are making a list of people who need medicines that are not available," he said.

Speaking about eight-year-old Abhijot Singh, who suffers from a kidney disorder called Nephrotic Syndrome and needs to visit the PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh approximately every two months for treatment, Sonu Sood said that ensuring the right treatment for the child is of utmost importance. "I have shared his medical reports with the best of doctors in Mumbai and Hyderabad. We will do our best to ensure that he gets the right treatment," he told NDTV.

Sonu Sood met the boy in the hospital on Sunday. He, along with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, have promised to help Abhijot's family financially after they lost their only source of income after their farm was submerged and the crops were destroyed in the floods. "I want to reach out to as many people as I can and make sure that they get back to their livelihoods. There will be many Abhijots in many villages. So we need to identify those in need of assistance," he had said ahead of his Punjab visit.

While reporting from the ground on the devastating floods in Punjab that has so far claimed over 45 lives, NDTV highlighted the plight of Abhijot and his family. Singh needs treatment till he turns 18, with doctors saying there is hope he can live a full life. NDTV launched the campaign on Thursday evening and on Friday afternoon, Mr Mann said every possible assistance would be provided to the boy's family, and that no one in the state would be deprived of treatment or medicines.

The actor's sister Malavika Sood said the lives of people have become miserable due to the floods, while highlighting the case of a 25-year-old woman who was bitten by a snake but could not get medical assistance in time. She also praised the strength of the people of Punjab and said they are ready to fight. "We will provide boats where needed and are providing tarpaulins to affected families, apart from distributing kits of daily use items. These measures will solve problems, but the road ahead is a long one," she told NDTV.