Monsoon fury: Border village in Punjab turns into islets

Gurbaxpuri

Muthianwala, July 16

More than 100 families at Muthianwala village located along the India-Pakistan border in Tarn Taran district have been cut off from the outside world for the past six days.

Except from the Pakistan side, the other three sides are covered with water these days. Within this piece of land, the floods have created six more islets, throwing normal life out of gear for these villagers. And now they are totally dependent on the village gurdwara where they sail on boats daily for food.

Certain houses have lost the entire ration, besides fodder for animals. Silt and sand from the Sutlej has entered the courtyards of the houses and fields.

Harpreet Singh, a villager, says that his and other families from the village had been sailing to Gurdwara Gupatsar, situated about 2 km from their houses, in boats. With nothing to eat and no electricity, they go to the gurdwara every morning, spend the day there, have lunch and pack their dinner and return to their homes in the evening on the boats.

Karaj Singh, a village elder, said Baba Angrej Singh, head sewadar of the gurdwara, has been trying to provide all possible facilities to the flood-affected families of the area. Baba Angrej Singh said members of 50 families stay in the gurdwara at night as sufficient arrangements had been made.

The residents alleged that the relief from the administration was yet to reach them. “The government has not even bothered to send us tarpals to erect temporary shelters,” they rued.

The breach in the dhussi bundh is yet to be repaired. Now the gurdwara administration is trying to plug the 150-foot breach. Lending a helping hand is Baba Sukha Singh from Sarhali Sahib who distributed packets of ration and fodder among the residents on Sunday. Deputy Commissioner Baldeep Kaur claimed that the situation in the area had improved.

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#Monsoon #Pakistan #Tarn Taran