MITHI: The participants in a moot titled “Save Thar, Save Sindh” organised by Awami Tehreek (AT) in Islamkot on Sunday warned executives of mining firms to mend their ways and stop meting out ‘step-motherly’ treatment to local people of the desert region.

Rasool Bux Khaskheli, advocate Vasand Thari, Dr Dildar Leghari, Abdul Qadir Ranto, Mahnoor Mallah, Sajida Perhiar, Gomoon Bheel, Advocate Leelaram, Sajan Charo, Obhayo Junejo, Dayal Sehari, Advocate Hajiaani Lanjo, and other leaders of the AT in their speeches said that they decided to organise a conference to awaken the people of the desert district because the land under their feet was being “taken away by the greedy executives and officials of the corporate sector”.

They regretted that the corporate sector had been given a freehand by rulers to displace the people from their centuries old villages without any adequate compensation or royalty.

They asked the high-ups of the Sindh government and officials of the mining firms to pay landowners proper royalty.

They observed that safe drinking water was the core issue of the desert region and sought construction of a canal with offshoots to cater to the needs of the people.

The leaders of Awami Tehreek as well as the representatives of the local communities living within the remit of the Thar coalfields and Tharparkar district speaking during the day-long event expressed their resentment over ‘unclear’ policies and plans of the mining firms engaged in the coal extraction and power generation especially in Thar Coalfields near Islamkot town.

They unanimously resolved to offer stiff resistance if the commitments made with the local people were not honoured by the executives of the firms and the high-ups of the Sindh government.

They said that those who sacrificed their homes and land for such mega projects were not against the development of the country, but they had been peacefully protesting for their ‘usurped rights’ in the light of the promises and commitments made with them before such projects were carried out by various mining firms with the partnership of the Sindh government.

They said brutal murder of Dodo Bheel and the mysterious death of Haresh Kumar Meghwar had already sent a wave of shock and uncertainty among the people, who were hoping that their fate would change with the launch of such mega projects.

They made it clear that Tharis were not against development, but any move to deprive Tharis of their land and resources would never be tolerated.

They said that the lives of the local workers hired by private mining firms were at risk due to lack of proper safety measures.

They also warned the officials to stop ‘killing and humiliating’ the local people for their vested interests.

The leaders said that it was a matter of grave concern that officials despite the deaths of some workers, had not bothered to ensure safety measures at sites of the projects in Thar coalfields.

They said that any move to settle people from other provinces would be tantamount to snatching the morsel from the mouth of Tharis.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2021