MITHI: A month on since the Sindh government declared Thar drought-hit, the functionaries concerned are only paying lip service to the plans for providing direly-needed relief to the starving population with no practical measures in sight to put the words into action.

The officers concerned are nowhere to be seen in the desert region to start relief operation for over 1.6 million souls living in abject conditions for months beca­use of shortage of food, water and essentially required healthcare facility.

Women, children and animals are the worst-affected though entire population of the region is fighting for its very survival. “Our crops have already withered, most of the wells have either dried up or their water has turned brackish and we have nothing to eat and feed our goats and cows,” said Kanji Bheel from Katho Bheel village in Kaloi taluka of Tharparkar.

He said that most of his co-villagers had already migrated to barrage areas to save lives of their livestock and families but he preferred to stay put and wait for the start of relief operation by the government.

The residents of Kaposar, Bhun­rai, Fangario, Railo Rind and Mals­rio villages had similar stories to tell and deplored that Thar was braving the worst drought of decade but the government was only issuing rosy statements while doing nothing on ground to mitigate their misery. “Life without water is getting tougher and harder by each passing day,” they added.

According to sources privy to health department in Mithi, viral infections, waterborne diseases, malnutrition and complications arising out of these diseases have so far claimed lives of 460 infants this year alone.

The health officials did not have record of over 800 children who were referred to hospitals in Hyderabad and Karachi for better treatment and could not say whether they survived or not.

Mohammad Siddique Rahimoon, chief of Rural Development Association working on environment and other issues in Thar, told this reporter that Diplo, Mithi, Kaloi, Islamot, Nagarparkar and Chhachhro talukas did not receive any or very scant rainfall this monsoon.

Some areas in Islamkot and Dahli talukas did have but erratic rain and that too less than 100mm, which failed to bring any relief to Tharis and rather inflicted unforeseen losses on them since many had spread costly seeds on land after first spell of light rain in hope of more rainfall but it did not continue, inflicting losses on poor peasants.

He believed that long-term policies were the only viable solution to the chronic problems of the desert and demanded that the draft of Thar Development Authority which was envisaged and formulate by experts five year back should be presented in Sindh Assembly.

He warned that issues of health and malnutrition would continue to haunt Tharis if sustainable and concerted efforts to resolve them were not taken at provincial level. Only distribution of wheat bags among starving Tharis would not resolve all their problems, the government should immediately provide safe drinking water to remote villages and towns, he said.

Dr Allah Nawaz Samoon, CEO of Thardeep Rural Development Programme, said that there were portentous indications that the situation might turn out to be more serious and alarming than Thar had witnessed in 1985-87 and again in 1999-2000 when thousands of people had to migrate to barrage areas after outbreak of diseases and serious shortages of water and food for humans and fodder for livestock.

“Drought is a recurring phenomenon in the arid region, which requires long-term solution along with short-term measures for the affected communities,” said Dr Samoon.

He stressed the need for involving village volunteers in relief activities. “In addition, activities such as promoting water conservation and setting up fodder and foliage banks for local communities can also contribute to saving livestock which is a major source of poor people’s livelihood,” he added.

He said that it was a matter of serious concern that over 374 suicides were reported in the desert region over the past six years mainly due to abject poverty and other social issues. Most wells, often the only source of drinking water both for both humans and livestock in the desert villages, had already dried up and Tharis had to travel miles and miles in search of drinkable water, he said.

Noted writer Prof Noor Ahmed Jhanjhi said that the situation in Thar called for formulation of a comprehensive plan to address the recurring drought and resultant poverty. The plan should have a disaster mitigation preparedness and rehabilitation strategy and alternative livelihood sources for the poor people entrapped in poverty, he said.

“Proper care of pastures, livestock rearing on scientific lines and discouraging unnecessary cultivation are some of the measures that can help combat the disaster. The development strategy should be linked to coal and other mineral resources, he said.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2018