On Amritsar’s Ajnala Road, a marquee at the entrance of Babbu Palace, a 1.5-acre resort, leads to a carpet-lined lawn. Instead of the usual hubbub of celebration, 50 rented tractors and 10 backhoe loaders (JCB machines) on either side of the lawn lead to a hall.Inside the hall are stacks of folding beds, bedding, 1,000 utensil kits, 200 fogging machines, 5,000 quintal of fodder, 500 quintal of 5-kg rice bags, 1,000 kits with medicines for both humans and animals, besides numerous mosquito nets, sanitary pads, plastic chairs and tarpaulins, among others.In flood-ravaged Punjab, where thousands are still struggling to rebuild their lives, relief warehouses have emerged as lifelines across the state. Backed by non-government organisations (NGOs), trader associations, corporates, celebrities and citizens, these hubs have been quietly powering the state’s community-driven relief efforts over the past few weeks.Across Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala, among others, resorts, community halls, houses, godowns and even educational campuses have been turned into massive storage and distribution hubs for relief materials — from rice, clothes and fodder to rented agricultural machinery for desilting land and household appliances.One such warehouse has been set up at Babbu Palace, rented by NGO Sun Foundation, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Sahney, for three months, starting from September 15. The relief warehouse was inaugurated by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh, who emphasised the “complementary role” played by social organisations and NGOs in accelerating relief across Punjab.MP Sahney said the rented tractors and JCBs will be allocated to affected families in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts in coordination with Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and tehsildars. His office told The Indian Express, “These tractors and JCBs have been rented by us to help farmers desilt their fields before the next season. In Ajnala, the floodwaters receded in the first week of September but the sand is yet to dry up completely. We expect the desilting to start next week.”Resort owner Harminder Singh Babbu, who owns two such properties in Amritsar, said he decided to rent out his resort to the NGO “since the wedding season is still a week or two away and my resorts are close to affected villages”. He added that he was charging the NGO a nominal sum “on a per-day basis”.Story continues below this adGhonewala village, located nearly 15 km from his resort, was among the worst affected in the state during the recent floods. Its residents say the resort being used as a relief warehouse has come as a boon for them. “We were not surprised to hear about the resort being used as a relief warehouse. The people of Punjab have always believed in doing sewa (social work),” said a resident.In Ludhiana district’s Jawaddi village, over 150 km away from Ajnala, stands Gurmat Gian Missionary College, a college known for offering religious courses on gurbani (compositions by Sikh gurus) and kirtans (sacred hymns).Until last week, NGO Initiators of Change had stacked flood relief materials like dry rations, slippers, water bottles, T-shirts and other supplies at the college. These materials have since been distributed among the flood-affected in Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts.Gauravdeep Singh of the NGO and a college trustee, said, “We used the college premises for nearly two weeks to store flood relief material.”Story continues below this adStating that relief work was “not a single-day project”, Singh said they had also rented a 200-square-yard house in Ludhiana’s Dugri Phase-1, nearly 3 km away, to store donated materials like shawls, sweaters, double beds, folding beds, mattresses, utensils, etc.“We will distribute shawls and sweaters during winters. For now, we have started rebuilding houses in Malakpur and Darya Mussa villages (in Amritsar), Sabuana village (in Fazilka) and Nihala Lawera (in Ferozepur) that are in dire need of repairs.”Stating that the NGO has plans to rebuild at least 6,500 houses in phases, Singh said they have allocated nearly Rs 1.5 crore for the same. “The Indian hockey team has pledged to pay for rebuilding of 10 houses, while singer A P Dhillon will give funds for 20 houses.”The NGO also plans to supply refrigerators to affected families. He said, “The recipients will be able to pick these up directly from selected stores in Gurdaspur and Amritsar. Donors, including industrialists from Punjab and across India, have pledged to pay for these refrigerators.”Story continues below this adAdding to the network of relief hubs, NGO Global Sikhs started setting up warehouses across Punjab from August 27, while villages in the state were still flooded.“We had warehouses in almost every city of Punjab. The response — from celebrities and the public — to our requirements was overwhelmingly generous,” said Amanpreet Singh of the NGO.Even corporations have jumped onto the bandwagon. The Reliance Foundation said it got a list of highly affected villages from the district administration on September 10. “We have started procuring rations and other relief materials from our parent company, which eliminates the need for godowns. Our teams have reached out to affected families in Amritsar district, besides distributing fodder in households with livestock,” said a spokesperson.Samsung India too started a disaster relief camp in Gurdaspur on September 15. According to a spokesperson, the camp offers free repairs of all flood-damaged appliances and on-ground access to essential appliances like washing machines, refrigerators and microwaves. “We are also providing clean drinking water, hygiene kits and mobile infrastructure,” the spokesperson added.Story continues below this adSonu Nilibar of the Punjab Cloth Merchants’ Association said they had raised Rs 11 lakh for relief efforts in the state. “All relief material — from tractors and fodder to refrigerators and blankets — is being carefully logged, stacked and dispatched to ensure that no family is left behind. More help is pouring in as we speak. These relief warehouses are not just holding supplies, but also hope for the affected.”