Punjab flood sparks city worry; Gurdwaras coordinate aid as families grapple with loss
Telegraph | 5 September 2025
The devastating floods in Punjab have left many Sikhs in the city anxious for the safety of their families and friends, as grim updates of displacement, destruction of farmland, and cattle deaths continue to arrive.
Inderpreet Singh from Dunlop has been in constant touch with relatives in Jalandhar and Ludhiana, several of whom have had to leave their homes for safer locations.
“A relative of mine lost some buffaloes in the floods. They were either washed away or died because they remained tied when the floodwaters rushed in. There wasn’t enough time to untie them,” said Singh. “One of our relatives moved with his school-going children from their village in Baghaur to Ludhiana. Their single-storey house is inundated.”
Singh, who is also the president of Dunlop Gurdwara, said many people in villages are now living on terraces or upper floors of their homes. “These are kothis, and they’ve had to vacate the ground floors.”
“We have moved to Calcutta, but we are originally from Punjab. What’s happening there is deeply worrying,” he added.
Gurdwaras across the city have launched relief drives to send aid to flood-hit areas. A team from the IHA Foundation has already begun relief work in several affected villages.
With roadways cut off and access limited, help is reaching on boats and tractors, said Harmeet Singh, a member of the IHA Foundation unit in Amritsar. He spoke to Metro while on the ground at Ajnala tehsil near Amritsar on Thursday evening. The mobile network was patchy, and flooded roads had left many houses inaccessible.
“Many villages are severely affected. Entire farmlands are destroyed. There will be no harvest this season. Even after the water recedes from homes, farmland remains flooded,” he said. “Those living close to the dariya (rivers Ravi and Beas) have suffered the most. Water levels reached six to seven feet in some places.”
In Calcutta, the foundation has issued an emergency appeal: “The recent floods in Punjab have left thousands without homes, food or basic necessities... In the wake of disaster, your support brings hope.”
Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, chairman of the foundation, said the Sikh community, known for its swift response in times of crisis, is now itself in need.
“This time, the Sikhs are in crisis, and we have been overwhelmed with support so far. But it must continue, it’s a long-drawn process,” said Ahluwalia. “The challenges are many. Once the water recedes, we’ll need fogging to prevent disease. Clean drinking water and medical aid are critical.”
A team of representatives from 12 gurdwaras in Calcutta is set to travel to Punjab in the coming days to oversee aid distribution.
“People are stepping up with donations in cash and kind. Our job is to ensure the relief reaches the right hands,” said Pritpal Singh, president of Barrackpore Gurdwara.
Keval Ambani, a Calcutta student at Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology in Patiala, told Metro that weather alerts have asked students to remain indoors. “Almost every day, we get messages warning us of thunderstorms and heavy rain. The campus is safe, but we’re advised not to go out,” he said.