KARACHI: The Sindh government is fully aware of the drought situation prevailing in Tharparkar and the problems being faced by people of the region.

A comprehensive development strategy for Tharparkar has already been formulated and the plans including installation of 916 reverse osmosis plants and provision of proper health facilities to Tharis are being implemented on an emergency basis to cope with the situation.

This was stated senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and coordinator of the Tharparker Relief Committee Senator Taj Haider at a press conference at the party’s media cell in Clifton on Saturday. Food and Health Minister Jam Mehtab Dahar, Livestock Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Ushr & Zakat Minister Dost Mohammed Rahimoon, elected representatives of Tharparkar district MNA Faqir Sher Mohammed Bilalani, MPAs Mahesh Malani and Makhdoom Khalilur Rahman and other party leaders were present.

Mr Haider said that the Aga Khan University Hospital had been assigned the task of assessing the health requirements of drought-hit people so that provision of all necessary facilities, medicines and equipment to the hospitals in Tharparkar could be ensured.

The AKUH would also recommend measures to improve these hospitals’ performance, he added.

Rejecting the recent media reports alleging negligence on the part of the provincial government with regard to the deteriorating drought situation in Tharparkar, the senator recalled that Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah himself paid 10 visits to different areas of the drought-hit region over the past seven months and convened 15 high-level meetings to review the situation and take decisions in order to mitigate the affected people’s sufferings.

“The situation is being monitored on a day-to-day basis and even minute issues are not being ignored,” he said, adding that regular reports about distribution of subsidised wheat and provision of health facilities at Thar hospitals were being circulated among 12 relevant departments and the updated figures regarding relief work were being discussed by the officials concerned on a regular basis.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2014