MITHI, Jan 10: The residents of a village in Tharparkar district observed a hunger strike and staged a protest demonstration against failure of relevant authorities to provide them with potable water.

Residents of Samun Rind village, Chhachhro taluka, said that more than 50 people in their village had become ill after consuming water available in the area. They held test reports in their hands according to which the level of fluoride in the area’s water was 20,000 parts per million.

The protesters said that around 50 people in their village had become bedridden or disabled after drinking this water while others were showing symptoms of sporadic pain and stiff joints, caused by increased fluoride levels.

On May 19, 2011, they said, the Tharparkar deputy commissioner had submitted a report to the chief minister about the water problem in Samun Rind village.

They said that the Sindh Assembly speaker had also promised them that measures would be taken for providing them with potable water. Besides, an adviser to the chief minister had also issued a statement in the media on June 15, 2009, saying that potable water would be provided to Samun Rind village, but nothing had been done so far.

The protesters warned that their protest would continue till their problem was solved.