ROPAR – Despite being cut off from the mainland for the past month, approximately 600 residents of five villages in Nangal — Harsa Bela, Patti Dulchian, Patti Jiwan Singh, Bela Shiv Singh and Bela Bhatian — have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of devastating floods. The villages, located in the natural basin of the Sutlej river, were completely isolated after floodwaters washed away approach roads and water pipelines.
The hardship faced by the residents is immense. “We haven’t had a proper market supply in over a month,” said Manjit Singh, a resident of Harsa Bela. However, the community has pulled together, even assisting migrants who were housed in the area.
A relief operation has now been launched by the Ropar district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Varjeet Walia and ADC Chandrajyoti Singh. Four teams, including officers, doctors, and veterinary experts, were deployed to the worst-affected villages. To reach Harsa Bela, one team used boats and 4x4 tractors, navigating through water that was nearly six feet deep and thick with weed. Nangal SDM Sachin Pathak confirmed that the team treated over 100 patients, provided medicines to 55, and offered veterinary care to more than 150 cattle.
In a heroic act that epitomizes the spirit of the community, Maninder Singh Kaif of Bela Bhatian jumped into the swelling Sutlej to save a man from drowning. The district administration has also successfully restored the water supply, which was disrupted after pipelines were washed away. While the maize crop has been severely affected, officials expressed optimism that the paddy crop has remained safe for now.