Jalandhar: Villagers frightened by fresh rain

Jalandhar: Villagers in flood-affected areas, who had just returned to their homes after weeks of hardship, are once again living in fear as a fresh round of rain has worsened their woes. After struggling to get their lives back on track, many families had begun cleaning and repairing their homes, hoping to return to normal. However, the return of the rains has brought back painful memories of the devastation they endured earlier. Satnam, from one of the worst-affected villages, said, “We had just started clearing the debris. Now every drop of rain makes us anxious. We don’t know if we will have to leave our homes again.” He explained that his house had developed cracks, and he and his family were sleeping under a cowshed as the rooms were not safe to sleep in. Farmer leader Paramjit Singh of Baupur village said that the water level had risen again, creating a renewed sense of fear. “Nothing is clear about what will happen,” he said. The villagers have been severely affected emotionally and financially. Floods in the Sutlej River caused massive erosion of embankments and washed away portions of land where homes were built. This tragedy struck Mandala Channa village in the Shahkot subdivision. Last month, four houses belonging to daily wage laborers collapsed. These houses belonged to four brothers—Channa Singh, Sona Singh, Jagdish Singh, and the late Prem Singh—whose families are now displaced and distressed. They have taken temporary shelter at the home of the village sarpanch, Satnam Singh. Farmers say it will be difficult for them to restart their lives now.