HYDERABAD, July 15: Elected representatives and leaders of various NGOs have expressed concern over the erosion of two million acres of land in Thatta and Badin districts by the sea water.

They were speaking at the closing ceremony of "Badin Flood Rehabilitation Ceremony" organized by the Oxfam, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Young Sheedi Welfare Organization here on Thursday.

They said that it was due to an acute shortage of water as a result of dams, barrages and canals upstream and faulty design of the LBOD that large chunks of agricultural land were swallowed by the sea.

They stressed the need for taking effective and lasting measures such as reclamation of two million acre land in the two districts to alleviate poverty and protect the people against calamities.

Oxfam director Farhana Farooqui said that the organization had been working in 70 different countries for the last sixty years to ameliorate lot of peasants, poverty alleviation, assistance to calamity-hit people and against gender discrimination and violence.

She said that the people were made to suffer due to legislation of retrogressive laws and state oppression. Ms Farooqui called upon the civil society to bring pressure on the government to legislate people-friendly laws.

She said that poverty was on the increase in underdeveloped countries due to policies of rich countries. She said that the Oxfam was working under a plan to ensure that devastations were not caused in Badin and Thatta districts in future.

She said that the government was formulating policies which would be implemented through district governments to combat natural calamities. Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum chairman Mohammad Ali Shah said that the rains were considered as a boon but due to the wrong planning of the government, faulty design of the LBOD project and non-release of water downstream Kotri, the heavy downpour in 2003 had proved to be a bane.

He said that Indus delta had been destroyed and the sea water had swallowed two million acres of rich agriculture land of Thatta and Badin districts. He said that no water of the LBOD could be released into the sea due to its faulty design.

He was of the opinion that no benefit could be derived by redesigning the project. He said that the last year's flood had wreaked havoc in union council Ahmed Rajo, Kadhan and Bhugrai Memon.

He regretted that although Badin was rich in oil resources, yet it was being totally neglected in the field of development. Oxfam project manager Ehsan Laghari said the last year's rains and floods had destroyed Badin district due to the breaches in LBOD.

He said that the work to plug the breaches at a cost of Rs45 million had been started by Sida only recently. He said that under the instant project 2,000 families in Badin were extended help, 63 new boats were provided to 154 villages, new engines were provided for 105 boats, 180 nets were given to fishermen and 450 women and widows with insufficient means were given subsistence allowances.

In addition to this, he said, 1,350 sheep and goats were given to needy people and seed and fertilizer was distributed for 2,100 acres of land. Badin district's naib nazim, Sohail Mirza said that the oil rich district during the last 34 years was hit by drought, cyclones, earthquakes and other natural calamities on seventeen occasions.

He claimed that 56 per cent of oil of total production of the country was being produced by the district but the people still remain deprived. Mr Mirza regretted that despite repeated requests, the government had declined to pay royalty to district. He said that 140,000 acres of Badin's land was transferred to the Kotri barrage command area but it was denied water supply.