July 23, 2007	Monday	Rajab 07, 1428

LAYYAH, July 22: Over 10,000 people in three villages have become homeless giving in to the erosion by the mighty Indus and it all happened due to alleged negligence of the government, Dawn has learnt. Thousands of acres have become part of the river in Basti Zangaiza, Basti Juni and Basti Chun in Kotla Haji Shah union council.

Union council nazim Kotla Haji Shah Dr Javed Iqbal told Dawn that in September last Irrigation Department engineer Chaudhry Muhammad Akhtar with other officials visited the area and proposed a protective embankment from F-North Bund to Basti Mohana to change the river course. The estimated cost of the embankment was Rs30 million. According to the Federal Flood Commission of Pakistan, a satellite survey by NASA also confirmed the need of the embankment to save the villages. The government did not take interest in the project, which rendered thousands of the people homeless.

The mighty Indus has eroded lands and a spur in Kotla Haji Shah union council and many farmers in Sumra Nashaib Pati Janubi mauza have lost their lands. Basti Zangaiza and its surrounded areas have become part of the river.

Seeing the wrath of the river, the residents of Basti Zangaiza demolished their houses a few days ago, taking their valuables and cattle with them and shifted to safe places. They shifted on their own and the government extended no help to them.

The other towns likely to be target of erosion are Basti Subhaywala and Basti Chandiya.

Residents of the area demanded that the chief minister release funds for the proposed embankment, adding the river may eat up western part of the Layyah city in a couple of months.