HYDERABAD: The Sindh Action Committee (SAC), a conglomerate of several nationalist parties and groups, has called for a third party’s participation in the utilisation of the loan being given by World Bank for the rehabilitation of flood-affected people and areas. An audit of the previous WB loan given to Sindh government should also be conducted, it said.

The SAC met under the chairmanship of its convener Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah in Jamshoro on Thursday. The meeting was attended by Sindh United Party (SUP) chairman Zain Shah, Qaumi Awami Tehreek leader Ayaz Latif Palijo, Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party vice chairman Hyder Shahani, Awami Jamhoori Party president Syed Laal Shah, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Party leader Nawaz Khan Zaunr, Jeay Sindh Mahaz leader Ghaffar Mir Jat and others.

The meeting discussed floods devastations and relief measures taken by Sindh government.

Syed Zain Shah, Ayaz Latif Palijo and others while speaking to journalists said that World Bank has inked an agreement with Sindh government for rebuilding of houses for flood affected people. It involved a cost of $160 and out of it $13m had been released to Sindh government.

Free plots to IDPs for permanent rehabilitation in Karachi demanded

They said that previously such loans were for education and health sectors that had fallen prey to corruption. Therefore, they said, induction of some credible third party must be ensured so that new funds should be transparently spent for actual purpose.

They said that $110m loan was obtained for rehabilitation of villages in Sindh and this loan should be offered sans any interest on a long-term basis so that people’s rehabilitation could be ensured. They maintained that free seed and fertilizer should be provided to farmers whose loans should be waived so that their economy could be revived.

Sindh govt termed ‘incompetent’

They alleged that it was artificial flood created by Sindh government’s incompetence which had drowned people. They said Sindh government could not rescue people and now it was also not serious in rehabilitating them either.

They said government had no planning thus it should resign because it had lost moral authority to govern Sindh. They demanded a judicial inquiry into cuts given to different dykes and bunds. They said rain victims who reached Karachi should be given free plots there for their permanent rehabilitation there.

They demanded revival of old natural water ways and completion of RBOD and LBOD works. They said all private dykes inside Indus river should be dismantled and a ban should be enforced on cultivation of banana and sugar cane in the riverine area.

They said all cuts given to Manchhar lake should be closed, adding that Indus Highway should be restored.

Healthcare issues

The SAC leaders said that 20m people were affected and millions were under open skies in Sindh and they were facing waterborne diseases and malaria.

They said no arrangements were made for test of malaria. They criticised performance of NDMA and PDMA in Sindh and wondered nobody knew where 125 ships laden with relief goods had gone.

They lauded the JDC, Al Khidmat and other welfare organisations for their services for flood affected communities, and alleged that the Sindh government was disbursing relief goods on political basis through DCs.

They said that rehabilitation survey committees remained unclear as to how they would function. They demanded a scientific survey in this regard and rehabilitation should be done under judicial oversight.

The meeting decided to hold protests outside offices of deputy commissioners on Oct 6 and a big rally in Karachi on Oct 16.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2022