May 30, 2003	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 27,1424

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DADU, May 29: Persistent drought has forced half of the population of 64 villages of the Kachho area in the western part of Dadu district to migrate to the barrage areas in search of fodder and water for their animals.

The non-availability of fodder and water has perished hundreds of cattle heads whereas hundreds of others are facing fatal diseases, a visit by a team of journalists revealed.

Twelve people have died and at least a 100 other inhabitants, including women and children, are facing various diseases as the area has received little rain during the last seven years, further aggravating the situation.

People have no facilities like hospitals, schools, potable water and roads. Besides, the government has not provided any relief goods to the affected villagers.

The water of 80 per cent of the wells has turned brackish and the water level of 20 per cent of the wells has also dropped.

The farms have been destroyed on account of no rainfall. Availability of fodder and chaff too had been badly hit.

Contrary to the anticipation of the rural folk, not a single government team has visited this part of the province so far to provide them medicines and other life-saving goods. Besides, no government team of doctors bothers to visit these neglected parts of the province.

Diseases like cholera, TB, diarrhoea and measles are prevalent in these areas as a result of which several people have died.

The journalists visited 64 villages where they met various people.

The Naib Nazim of union council Chhinni, Johi Taluka, in the Ali Murad Khan Shahani village complained of the lack of medicines, schools, roads and drinking water.

He claimed that 12 people had died recently because of malaria, meningitis, TB, hepatitis-B and cardiac arrest. He even gave their names: Ghazi Khan, 55; Makhan, 70; Abdullah, 50; Faqiro, 55; Ismail, 50; Jhango, 60; Saindad, 55; Zakrio, 30; Ghulam Nabi, 50; Ali Nawaz, 60; Maula Bux, 60; and Fatima, 30.

He said that hundreds of cattle heads had perished and the rest were infected with various diseases owing to the shortage of water and fodder.

He said that the villagers had to travel a distance of 22 kms on donkey carts to fetch water.

A villager, Raheem Bux, said that five wells had dried up and the water in five other villages had turned brackish.

Dr Aziz Leghari, Basic Health Unit, Sawro village, said that the building of the BHU, which was constructed by the Sindh government with the help of the World Bank three years back, had been closed on March 10 as the health department did not appoint any staff here.

He said that an NGO — Village Shadabad — had taken over possession of the building from the health department and had opened it for the people. He said that he had been appointed there along with other staff.

He said that the BHU has to cover a population of 10 villages and due to non-availability of maternity hospitals, women have to face problems.

The residents of the villages of Sawro Maulvi Noor Ahmed, Bahlil Shah, Dito Ji Takri, Rajo Dero, Sim, Golo Faqir and Shah Mohammad Jamali said that 50 per cent population of the villages had no medical facilities, food and water as a result of which they had migrated to other places.

They said that the wells had dried up due to persistent drought, whereas 70 per cent cattle heads had perished.

The situation of 56 villages in Khairpur Nathan Shah Taluka, Johi, including Shah Hassan, Tore, Gaji Shah, Khandhani and Hamzo Shahani, is no different as the people made similar complaints about their livestock and lack of basic facilities.