SINDH is expected to face floods during the monsoon season in mid-August. During the last two years thousands of people lost their homes, billion of rupees of livestock and crops were damaged or destroyed, and farmers lost their present and future source of food and income.

Before heavy rains hit Sindh this year, it was estimated that families affected by the 2011 floods would require three to four cropping seasons to recover.

The forthcoming monsoon is expected to bring 10 to 15 per cent more rains this year. Victims of last year’s floods want to ask the authorities concerned, are they prepared to meet the forthcoming flood challenges? Have they worked out a plan to drain out the flood water to save the crops? Do they have a strategy to save livestock which is a source of survival on a daily basis? Have they made communities technically sound to manage themselves in the flood? Did they incorporate more disaster risk reduction components and safer shelters with minimum external input to catalyse self recovery?

Delayed or incomplete measures will lead to heightened food insecurity, increase public health threats, loss of land tenure agreements due to farmers’ inability to pay their debts, population displacement and longer term reliance on aid. I just hope there is no new flooding this year to destroy our dreams.

ISHFAQUE MARRI Sanghar