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HYDERABAD, Aug 1: Sindh Governor Mohammedmian Soomro on Thursday declared four dehs of Bhit Shah - Lakhisar, Wasan, Litiryon and Bareri - calamity-hit area as a huge breach in the Rohri Canal has destroyed and inundated crops and villages there.
During his visit to the relief camps, established at the breach site, the governor said that stern action would be taken against those officials who were found guilty of negligence in provision of relief to the affected villagers.
He assured maximum monetary help for the affected villagers to help them overcome the losses caused by the disastrous breach. He added the intentions of the government were good but the availability of resources mattered when it came to providing monetary grant to the affected people.
The relief commissioner said recovery of all the revenue outstanding dues and loans had been waived-off in the calamity affected area. He said that a formal notification to this effect would be issued in a day or two.
Sindh irrigation minister Aijaz Shah Sheerazi, Hyderabad District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman, and others received the governor at the helipad.
At the site of the breach he was given briefing by DCO, Hyderabad, Mir Hussain Ali, and Col Afzal Cheema of the district army support team.
They informed the governor the breach was being plugged with the help of villagers. The affected villagers had been shifted to relief camps where they were being provided food and medicines, they claimed.
Soomro said it was the first priority of the authorities to create atmosphere for the receding of water so that the affected people could be shifted to their houses and the assessment of losses got underway.
RELIEF CAMPS: The governor also visited the relief camp in a school of Bhitshah, where he said the presidential package for revamping of canal system in Sindh was a three-year plan and work on its implementation would begin soon. He, however, said embankments of the canals needed to be maintained regularly.
About the water theft cases and rotation programme, he said that a new package of the Sindh Irrigation Drainage Authority was in the offing to check water theft and rotation programme through farmers and their associations, in collaboration with irrigation officials.
A villager, Khamoon, resident of Goth Darya Khan Talpur - the worst affected village - demanded edibles and cash from the governor who asked the relief commissioner to ensure grant of some cash, food and soap to each affected villager in the relief camp.
A doctor of the medical camp said so far 218 patients of gastroenteritis and eye disease were reported in the camp.
VISITS KHANDO: The Sindh governor also visited Khando wherefrom the water was heading towards the National Highway but it was diverted by raising the embankments of the Wasan Minor.
A resident of Goth Essa Khan Dahiri asked the governor to provide pumping machines at the village so that the stagnant water could be drained out from there.
Soomro left for Karachi after laying a floral wreath at the shrine of great Sufi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.
