MITHI: Complying with the orders of the Sindh chief secretary, the district administration of Thar has begun to conduct a survey of reverse osmosis plants installed by the Sindh government to provide safe drinking water to Tharis.

When contacted, Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner Dr Abdul Hafeez Siyal told Dawn that the chief secretary had issued a notification in the light of the directions of judicial commission on water chief retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim. He said officials of the public health department and Pak Oasis, the company assigned to install the plants, were busy in the process.

He said that after the survey, it would be decided whether the charge of looking after and installation of more plants would either be given to the private firm or any government organisation to take over the responsibility.

Leaders of various political parties have warned to launch a protest movement in Thar against water crisis both in towns and villages of the desert region.

Fakeer Arshad Kumbhar of the Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf, advocate Shahnawaz Hingorjo of the Qaumi Awami Tehreek and other activists and members of civil society deplored that concerned functionaries of the municipality had miserably failed to provide canal water to Mithi town and its adjacent areas for three months.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2018