Punjab: As floodwaters recede, people struggle to rebuild houses, reclaim farmland
Sultanpur Lodhi’s Mand area had been submerged since August 11 when the Beas breached its banks, affecting 145 villages and displacing 5,728 people
Amid the receding floodwaters in Kapurthala’s Sultanpur Lodhi, Ferozepur and Hoshiarpur district, residents returning to their homes face an overwhelming set of challenges—from clearing debris, rebuilding houses and demarcating land chunks to reclaiming farmland buried under layers of sand besides creating a safe environment for their livestock.
Sultanpur Lodhi’s Mand area had been submerged since August 11 when the Beas breached its banks, affecting 145 villages and displacing 5,728 people. A preliminary report suggests crop loss on 43,426 acres in Kapurthala district only. In Hoshiarpur, 20,564 acres were affected as 286 villages were affected by floods.
Pargat Singh of Sangra village said 2-3 feet of sand has accumulated on his five acres while his house has developed major cracks. “Preparing land for the next crop by removing sand is one of the major challenges as it requires a lot of money, machinery and manpower. Though the government has allowed us to lift sand from the villages, it would not be financially feasible for everyone to arrange the logistics for the same,” he said.
Gurnishan Singh, 35, said the whole family is under acute stress as his 500-square-yard house collapsed on August 29 when the water flow in the river was at its peak. “We have already lost standing paddy crop on 10 acres. Our kids and parents are staying at different places,” he said.
The houses of siblings Major Singh and Pargat Singh collapsed after facing gushing water for 25 days. “The challenge is reconstruction of the houses,” they said.
Deputy commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal said people would be compensated as the administration has started special girdawari. “We have set up health camps for people and also livestock. The administration is primarily focussing on improving the road network damaged in the floods,” Panchal said.
Ferozepur villages gasp for relief
In Ferozepur, villages are grappling with rotting crops, collapsed homes and the overpowering stench of dead fish amid the withdrawal of Sutlej waters. “In Alewala, our fields are buried, homes ruined and now even the air feels toxic,” said Balwinder Singh, a farmer from Mallanwala. Manjinder Kaur, a widow with five children and in-laws, described waist-deep water destroying her home.
Across the region, stagnant pools of water have decayed harvests and turned villages into mosquito breeding grounds. Health risks are rising, with reports of fever, nausea and headaches increasing daily.
In border village Kalu Wala, homes remain filled with 1.5 feet of sludge while farmlands lie under four feet of sand. “We have no land left to till and no house to live in,” said a farmer. Tendi Wala also saw widespread damage. “Our land has no official record—there’s no hope for compensation,” said sarpanch Gurnam Singh, adding that livestock has also perished.
Fodder shortages have left livestock starving, with limited help from local volunteers. Officials continued with their damage assessment even as water discharge from Harike headworks remained high at 1.06 lakh cusecs downstream towards Hussainiwala. Across flood-hit hamlets, desperate appeals grow louder—for fumigation, medical camps, animal fodder and drainage of stagnant pools.
“If the government doesn’t act now, this stench will turn into a health disaster,” warned Parminder Singh Pinki, former MLA Ferozepur.
Deputy commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said a team from Harike has cleared dead fish and that oil is being sprayed to curb mosquito breeding. “Sixty medical camps are underway, and a mega health camp was held today,” she added.
In Fazilka, floodwaters are receding but may take 2–3 more days to clear.
