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River erosion threat Flood condition in the Jhelum has subsided, but it is still posing a threat to various villages lying along its banks in Shahpur tehsil and Sahiwal owing to rapid erosion. The case of Mega Kadhi village in Shahpur tehsil and formerly an estate of United Punjab Chief Minister Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana is being projected at all levels by an NGO, Pattan Development Organisation (PDO), for the rehabilitation of the flood affectees. PDO is mainly working for disaster mitigation and community development in the riverine areas. In the 1992’s flood, it provided funds of Rs6 million for the construction of an embankment in Bharth village, besides motivating the people to participate in protective programmes. The local team of PDO comprising Ms Kausar and Mr Farooq told Dawn since its inception it had not only worked to reduce the vulnerability of communities in riverine areas to periodic destructive flooding, but has also tried to enhance their capacity to sustain their livelihood. They said the government was well aware that since 1992 the people of Shahpur tehsil, Bhera and Sahiwal were suffering losses of millions of rupees every year, but no solid step was taken. They said if the forest department provided 2,000 trees and Rs63 million for stones and nets not only the erosion will be stopped but losses will also be curtailed and the people may be saved from miseries and hardships. This correspondent visited the affected area of Megha Kadhi, and observed that despite the tall claims of the government nothing has been done so far. An official of the irrigation department claiming anonymity said the government could not provide any help to the affectees of riverine areas, as it was a federal subject. It is astonishing that provincial irrigation minister Aamer Sultan Cheema announced a couple of weeks ago that the Punjab government had allocated and approved Rs63 million for the affectees of Megha Kadhi for making this area safe from erosion of the Jhelum. PDO leader Sarwar Bari also visited the area with media teams, but nothing has been done so far from the government side. This was brought to limelight by the district government as well. Reports indicate that Megha Kadhi is situated on the southern side of the Jhelum and the number of people living in the village is about 20,000 and 19 acres of its land are covered with buildings, mosques and schools. About four months ago, it was reported that the river erosion was in the offing and water was only 50 feet away from the village, and it was feared that if prompt measures were not taken the entire village would be washed away. It was also mentioned that over the last three years, river erosion had washed away about 45 acres of the village, but despite repeated recommendations by district nazim Inamul Haq Piracha, no practical step has been taken so far. An ex-army man had constructed a bungalow in the village after retirement, but it was swallowed by the river water. He suffered a heart attack and died. Similarly, several other families are passing through such trauma and tension owing to erosion and indifferent attitude of the government. It is astonishing that various elected representatives, including MNA Mazhar Ahmad Qureshi and Shahzadi Umarzadi Tiwana, both from the ruling party, are doing nothing for the affectees. Shahzadi Tiwana may claim that she was not voted by the people of the area, but some time ago this area was the estate of her late ancestor, Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana. This area also falls in the constituency of Inamul Haq Piracha who was elected MNA in the general election of 2002 and later resigned after he was elected district nazim. But in the by-elections, his nephew Haroon Ehsan Piracha was elected and he is doing a lot of development work in his constituency particularly in his native town, Bhera. Megha Kadhi falls in the jurisdiction of Shahpur tehsil and the tehsil nazim was elected under the banner of Shahzadi Tiwana, and this area they thought had voted against him. Hence it was being ignored. It will be interesting to point out here that a couple of weeks ago, the Shahpur tehsil nazim had issued a notice to the Jhawarian nazim for vacation of a building under the occupation of Jhawarian Union Council. He also approached the police for vacation as the UC nazim was opposing Shahzadi Tiwana. The deputy district officer (revenue) also pointed out that rapid erosion posed a direct threat to the inhabitants of Megha Kadhi in March this year. But so far no step has been taken to rectify the situation. The area people appealed to the president and the Punjab chief minister to intervene and protect the affected areas from destruction. They also appealed to the politicians of the district to avoid politicising their problem and initiate practical steps in this regard.
The local team of PDO comprising Ms Kausar and Mr Farooq told Dawn since its inception it had not only worked to reduce the vulnerability of communities in riverine areas to periodic destructive flooding, but has also tried to enhance their capacity to sustain their livelihood. They said the government was well aware that since 1992 the people of Shahpur tehsil, Bhera and Sahiwal were suffering losses of millions of rupees every year, but no solid step was taken. They said if the forest department provided 2,000 trees and Rs63 million for stones and nets not only the erosion will be stopped but losses will also be curtailed and the people may be saved from miseries and hardships.