May 4, 2005	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1426

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DADU, May 3: As a result of heavy rains in the Khirthar range, flow of water in the Nai Gaaj increased to six feet on Tuesday morning cutting off over 100 villages from major towns of the district. Villagers were facing the shortage of food, medicine and other essential items. The affected villages include Bukhar Jamali, Sori, Mitho Rustmani, Paryio Jamali, Thul, Fazul Jamali, Khandiani, Haleli, Otho, Yaro Sain, Sevo Jamali, Kando Babar, Jam Babar, Bahawal Babar, Nagar Dario, Tando Raheem, Ahmed Khan Brihmani, Dodo Brihmani, Pir Bux Lashri, sawro, Phullo Qumbrani, Drigh Bala, Rasool Bux Jamali, Moosa Jamali, Qasim Rodhnani, Shahak Rodhanani, Hafiz Jamali, Muhabat Qumbrani, Ranjho Babar, Minhoo Khan Chandio, Jalib Rind, Bahlil Shah, Bago Shahani, Hafiz Chandio, Ali Murad Chandio, Lal Khan Jamali, Muhammad Ali Jamali, Haidan and Shah Muhammad Jamali.

NGO Shadabad Village president Akbar Lashari told Dawn that stranded people in these villages were facing hardship as they could not go to Johi town.

He said that there was shortage of food, medicines and other eatables and diseases like gastro, diarrhoea, Malaria were spreading while no medical team had reached there after recent rains.

He said that roads leading to Kachho were inundated while people of the Dhano Ji Takri, Ahmed Khan Brihmani, Golo Faqir, Sher Muhammad Talpur were the most sufferers because Nai Gaaj was eroding the embankments near their villages.

He said that half of the Sher Muhammad Talpur village was washed away in the flow of Nai Gaaj.

UC Nazims of Kachho belt Ghulam Ali Khan Shahani, Nazim UC Chhinni, Sikandar Khan Laghari, Nazim UC Drigh Bala, Nazir Ahmed Laghari, Nazim UC Tore Aslam Jamali, and Nazim UC Tando Raheem said that district administration and health officials should take immediate notice and food and medicine should be provided to the affected areas.

President, Kachho Bachayo Tehrik, Wafa Brehmani, said that the gushing water of Nai Gaaj had destroyed main slope at the Wahi Pandhi-Johi road, 20 kilometres off Johi town on Tuesday.

He said that owing to heavy rain and flow in the Nai Gaaj, work at the Gorakh Hill station was closed. He said that dozens of villages were disconnected from Johi. He said a boy, Bashir, 10, son of Hyder drowned in the Nai Gaaj near the Maulvi Noor Mohammad Rodhnani village.

The district officer (preventive and accounts) of the health department, Dr Rasheed Ahmed Memon, said that after receiving complaints of gastroenteritis and other diseases in Kachho, medical teams have been sent to the affected areas.

He confirmed that health centres of Drigh Bala and Wahi Pandhi were surrounded by over flowing water of the Nai Gaaj. However, he claimed that the staff was present at health centres in Kachho with sufficient medicine.

He said though medical teams were facing difficulty to reach some villages as link roads were inundated but situation was under control.

The in charge official of the irrigation emergency centre, Babu Akil Ahmed, said that water was flowing at a height of 6-foot in the Nai Gaaj on Tuesday morning, which was entering the Manchhar Lake.

He said that the water level of the Manchhar Lake stood at 109.05-foot reduced level (RL), while all embankments were safe.