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BADIN, Aug 3: Life in rain-hit areas of the district has not returned to normal as thousands of people are still stranded while the rescue operation by the district administration is gradually losing its momentum.
More villages have been flooded due to breaches developing in the water channels in the district.
When floodwater was being drained out from the 1,000 acre lake of Mir Aijaz Talpur in Shaheed Fazil Rahu Taluka, its embankment developed a breach on Saturday night, submerging more villages under water.
The villagers feared that if the authorities fail to plug the breach soon, the main town of Tarai and more villages of the Union Council Gharo were likely to be flooded.
They said that the breaches which developed in the LBOD spinal drain had not been plugged as yet, while water in the eastern section of the LBOD was not receding.
RELIEF DELAYED: Framing of a policy has delayed distribution of relief goods. However, the district administration has authorized the Taluka Nazim to distribute relief goods amongst the victims.
It was learnt that the councillors and Nazims of the union councils were not prepared to receive the relief items as they said that only one truckload of relief goods was being provided to each union council for distribution among thousands of victims.
They complained that one truck was not sufficient for such a large population as every person was affected during the rains.
The Taluka Nazim, Badin, Dr Musarrat Hussain Khwaja, said that he had been offered 12 relief trucks, one for each union council, but the union council Nazims were not prepared to receive them.
Dr Nalechango of the Civil Hospital Badin said that at least 35,000 people were suffering from various diseases, and 20 per cent of these from gastroenteritis.
He said that a large number of people were suffering from conjunctivitis.
The villagers said that they had sent several telegrams asking for food packets for the people who had been stranded but in vain.
Meanwhile, Senator Yasmeen Shah, has demanded Rs1 billion for providing relief and rehabilitation to the rain-affected people.
She said that the Rs100 million being provided for relief by the government was not adequate. She also demanded that relief be provided on a war footing.
Speaking at a press conference with MNA Syed Ali Bux Shah here on Saturday, she said that relief for Badin was not adequate and the prime minister would be requested for more grant.
They flayed the indifferent attitude of political parties and elected members from Badin for not helping the people of their constituencies.
JI: The leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, at a press briefing on Sunday criticized the government for its apathy towards the rain-affected people.
He said that the government was spending millions of rupees under frivolous heads but it did not have much for the people.
He demanded the government that agricultural loans be written off, and people be provided compensation for the losses of their crops and houses.
He demanded more relief funds for Badin’s rain-affected people.
