Punjab floods: Amid adversity, grateful locals show hospitality to their rescuers

Chandigarh, Sep 3 (PTI) Even in the face of the devastating floods across the state, numerous examples have emerged showcasing the resilience and hospitality of locals, with volunteers from Sikh organisations and NGOs being offered warm beverages when delivering relief materials.

Despite experiencing distress due to crop damage, lost livestock, and severe destruction of homes, many villagers continue to show hospitality, displaying the noted Punjabi spirit.

Punjab is currently facing one of its worst flood disasters in decades. The floods are a result of swollen rivers — the Sutlej, Beas, and Rav i— along with seasonal rivulets caused by heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Additional heavy rains in Punjab have intensified the flooding situation, aggravating the challenges faced by residents.

The deluge has claimed 30 lives and impacted over 3.50 lakh people. Crops over 1.48 lakh hectares of land have perished in the floods, officials stated.

The villages worst-affected by the floods were in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar districts.

Numerous NGOs and Sikh organisations are working alongside the government and various agencies to conduct relief and rescue operations in these flood-hit districts.

Volunteers from these organisations, who are reaching out to the affected villages with relief supplies, report that in many areas, farmlands have transformed into ponds that are 8-10 feet deep. They rely on boats to access the flooded villages.

Despite having lost almost everything, some villagers extended their hospitality by offering tea or milk, embodying a spirit of resilience and 'Chardi Kala' (ever-rising spirit).

"Some people even offer us a cup of tea," Jaswinder Singh, a volunteer from Baba Deep Singh Sewa Dal Garhdiwala, which is providing relief to the flood-impacted population, told PTI.

Another example of hospitality was observed in Dinanagar, Gurdaspur district, where a volunteer delivering rations by boat was offered tea by a family forced to spend nights on their rooftop due to floodwaters.

In another area, a villager wading through 2-3 feet of water brought tea in a flask and steel glasses for a team of volunteers delivering relief supplies.

The NGOs and Sikh organisations are providing dry rations, including rice, pulses, mustard oil, biscuits, wheat flour, medicines, and cattle fodder.

Although district administrations have established relief camps for those affected, many villagers choose to remain in their homes. In areas where livestock shelters are flooded, residents have moved to rooftops or elevated platforms.

Sharing details about the devastation, one of the volunteers mentioned the paddy crops at the maturation stage have been severely damaged in inundated areas, leading to significant financial losses for farmers. Once the waters recede, farmers will face further challenges, as their fields will be left covered with silt washed in by the floodwaters. Many farmers have also lost cattle swept away by the floods.

People lamented the damage to household items, including beds, clothes, and electronic devices, caused when floodwaters entered their homes. Many feel they have lost everything, and admitted that recovery will take time, a volunteer shared.

The Punjab government has initiated a special 'girdawari' (loss assessment) to evaluate the damage and has assured compensation for every loss incurred.

"Whenever the country faced a crisis, Punjab always stood by it — be it during the green revolution or the fight for freedom. We have made maximum sacrifices. Today, Punjab is in crisis, and I hope the country stands by us," stated Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during his visit to the flood-affected areas in Ferozepur.

Given the scale of devastation caused by the floods, many prominent personalities, including actor Sonu Sood, singer Diljit Dosanjh, Punjabi actor Gippy Grewal, and singers Karan Aujla, Ammy Virk, and Ranjit Bawa, are lending their support. PTI CHS SHS MPL MPL