‘Punjab helping itself’: as floods ravage state, citizens lead relief efforts, communities step up in solidarity

Barely four days later, Samita and her volunteers were in the field, distributing supplies to villages in the Ramdas area of Amritsar district, including Shehzade, Kamalpur, Mandranwali and Jattan. By September 7, as the waters receded and health issues emerged, her team organised a medical camp with the help of doctors, farmers from Haryana, and Panjab University students. Medicines for fever, stomach infections, and skin allergies were provided.

“Instead of scattering resources, I want to focus on a few families I found were genuinely affected, and help to rehabilitate them completely,” Samita said. “Sincere appreciation to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), farmer unions, individuals, and NGOs for doing what the administration has failed to do. Taking supplies without their support was next to impossible,” she added.

Industry, traders step in

On September 9, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 1,600 crore aid for the flood-hit state, Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain received a cheque of Rs 10 lakh from Vardhman Special Steels Limited (VSSL) on behalf of its vice-chairman Sachit Jain. Several industrial houses have also routed funds through the Red Cross Society to district administrations.

The textile community in Ludhiana raised Rs 10 lakh to airlift rescue boats from Mumbai in August when they were dealing with heavy rainfall and waterlogging. They also organised medical camps. “Another Rs 10–15 lakh has been committed for rehabilitation,” said Sonu Nilibar, president of the Punjab Cloth Merchants’ Association. Their relief is being channelled through the NGO Initiators of Change.

Gauravdeep Singh from Initiators of Change revealed that at least Rs 1 crore has been pledged for ongoing rescue and rehabilitation works. “We are running seven-eight medical camps daily across Ajnala, Fazilka, Ferozepur, and Gurdaspur. Each camp sees 350 patients on average, suffering from fever, diarrhoea, gut issues and skin problems. A team of 80 volunteers has been working round the clock since September 1,” he said. He added,” before this, they were busy in rescue and distributing supplies. Next will be helping villagers rehabilitate.”

Doctors and hospitals join the frontlines

Punjab’s leading hospitals—Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMC) and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH)—have deployed teams to flood-hit areas in collaboration with the Army. Nursing students and medical students too have volunteered in large numbers, turning rural school buildings and gurdwaras into makeshift health camps.

The Tera Hi Tera Foundation, led by Sukhjinder Pal Singh Kamal from Chandigarh, has also been inundated with donations. “We had to pause ration collection because trucks loaded with dry food and water donated by people from all walks of life were already waiting at Tarn Taran. Now we are providing utensils, bedsheets, clothes, gas stoves, notebooks, solar lights, even water purifiers,” Singh said.

They hired two boats at a monthly rent of Rs 1.2 lakh from Ambala to serve Fazilka. “One day, we got a call that a man had suffered a heart attack in a flooded village. Our boat rescued him in time, and he survived. That one life saved justifies every rupee spent,” said Harjit Singh Sabharwal, co-founder of Tera hi Tera Mission, adding that his team has covered 26 villages so far in Fazilka, Ferozepur, Ajnala and Gurdaspur.

Kar sewa strengthens embankments

In the absence of adequate state support, villagers themselves have been strengthening embankments along the Sutlej, Beas, Ghaggar and Ravi rivers.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), noted: “Most bundhs are being repaired through kar sewa. People are donating mud, gabions (iron meshes), fuel, and even diesel for tractors. The government has not spent much—villagers are literally saving themselves. So, the government should not raise bills for the works it never did.”

Beyond ration: cattle and homes

With the immediate relief largely covered, NGOs are now shifting focus to long-term rehabilitation. Requests for funds are being made for rebuilding houses and supporting families who lost milch cattle—an often-ignored but critical livelihood source.

“Relief isn’t just about food packets. Milch animals have died in large numbers, and families have no compensation. We are urging the diaspora and philanthropists to donate for cattle fodder and house rebuilding, and we are getting response from cloth merchants across the country,” said Sonu Nilibar.

Outpouring of solidarity

From Ludhiana’s cloth merchants to resident welfare societies to student groups in Chandigarh, from Punjab’s industrialists to its farmers and doctors, every segment of society has contributed. While Bollywood and Punjabi stars too have made high-profile donations, the ground reality remains that it is ordinary Punjabis who are holding the state together in this crisis.

“No doubt the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army and even the state machinery is working overtime, but the selfless contribution of the masses deserves our salute,” said Inderpreet Singh, president of AC Market Cloth Merchants’ Association, Ludhiana.

“This is Punjab helping Punjab,” said Sukhjinder. “Here, a single shout-out is enough and help arrives at your doorstep. This is the spirit of Punjab—standing tall for each other when it matters most.”

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