MITHI, Sept 8: More and more people are abandoning Tharparkar due to drought-like conditions but the government is yet to initiate relief measures or declare the district a calamity-affected area.

Some parts of the region received no monsoon rain in July and August whereas others had received sporadic showers. This correspondent saw scores of Thari families on Sunday and Monday, going from Chhachhro to Umerkot and from Mithi towards the Naukot road, who had left their homes, along with their cattle, in search of livelihood.

The intensity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that even in case of a dry year, Kolhis, Bheels and other non- Muslims used to migrate to areas where water situation was relatively good after commemorating "Janam Astmi", but this year, many of them migrated without celebrating the festival.

Gomindo, Lakho and Kanho, carrying about 20 cows, told this correspondent near the Naukot fort that they were coming from Harho and Satedera union councils of the Nagarparkar taluka, which was in the grip of drought-like situation.

Gomindo said they would have to work on meagre wages because the areas they were migrating to were also facing shortage of irrigation water. Ali Bux, Rehmatullah and Mubarak Bajirs, residents of Khainsar and Jese Jo Paar villages of the Chhachhro taluka pointed out that many poor residents of various union councils of the taluka had migrated to other districts because of the persisting drought.

District Naib Nazim Ramsingh Sodho and member of the Sindh Assembly Rajvir Singh said Mithi and Diplo talukas were also facing similar conditions. Tharparkar District Council, at its recent session, had adopted a resolution, calling upon the government to declare Thar a calamity-hit area and initiate relief measures in the district.