Farmer turns home into shelter for flood-hit

In a corner of flood-ravaged Kapurthala, where water swallowed homes, hopes and harvests, one man has become a lifeline for many. Paramjit Singh, a farmer from Baupur village in Sultanpur Lodhi has turned his home into a shelter for those who have lost everything.

As The Tribune visited his residence, the signs of tragedy—and compassion—were impossible to miss. The entrance of Paramjit’s home was lined with everyday items that now carry stories of despair and survival — table fans, atta containers, television sets, steel almirahs, coolers— belongings hastily gathered by families as they fled the rising waters.

Inside his verandah, elders and women sipped tea. “This is all we have for now,” one of the women whispered, her eyes welling up. “But we are here, alive. Thanks to Paramjit.”

When the floodwaters surged into villages, it was Paramjit who first launched a rescue effort. “I didn’t wait for anyone, and rescued people on boats. “Ajj eh loha lagg rahi hai payi hoyi, par BMW toh vo zyada zaruri si eh jado paani aaya” (Today, thee boats may look like scrap, but when the water came, it was more valuable than a BMW).

His words echo a stark truth: when disaster strikes, it’s not luxury, but humanity and basic necessities that matter.

The affected families now call his home a temporary refuge. “We had no time to think. Our walls just collapsed,” said Charanjit Singh, father of three. “He came in a boat and pulled us out—me, my children, and belongings.”

Paramjit said he inherited it from his late father. “We live in a flood-prone village, so he built our house on a higher ground and was always there to help others. After he passed away, I continued following his example — and now, even my son helps me carry on his legacy,” he said.

He, however, brushes off the praise. “I did what any human should do,” he simply said.