SANGHAR: Scores of drought-stricken residents of Achhro Thar, an extended part of Thar proper, have demanded the Sindh government should immediately supply them water and fodder for their starving livestock and relief goods for the equally affected humans.

They told journalists here on Thursday that drought had badly affected humans as well as livestock population in this part of the Thar desert, which had already been declared drought-hit by the government.

They said that majority of the population in Achhro Thar was concentrated in two union councils of Khipro taluka, comprising over 200 villages, where villagers as well as their cows, goats and camels had been braving acute shortage of fodder and water since 2011, resulting in diseases in many animals and deaths of others.

Livestock was mainstay of desert economy and majority of poor Tharis depended on their cattle for sustenance. According to a rough estimate, livestock population was said to be around two million in Achhro Thar, they said.

They said that about 20 per cent of the population had migrated to canal-irrigated areas along with their livestock and those who did not leave were facing shortages of food and water. They demanded the government urgently provide them water and fodder for their livestock as the meagre grass in the desert had already withered away due to sparse rain.

They said that they were feeding their livestock chaff and gram powder bought from markets in Khipro and Chhor just to keep them alive till the arrival of rains or direly-needed succour from the government.

The villagers of Ranao Tarr, Rabilao Tarr and Juma Samejo demanded the Sindh government and district administration should supply them fodder for their starving livestock, which gave them milk, butter and meat to fulfil their food requirements and keep them alive during the drought.

114 dehs in Jamshoro declared calamity-hit

HYDERABAD: Sindh government has declared 114 dehs of Jamshoro district calamity-hit due to less than required rainfall and food and water shortages this monsoon season.

According to an official statement issued on Wednesday, 43 dehs in Sehwan taluka, 25 in Manjhand, 28 in Thana Bula Khan and 16 dehs in Kotri taluka have been declared calamity-hit. The mountainous Jamshoro region is facing drought-like conditions like Tharparkar.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2018