MITHI, Aug 24: The Sindh chief minister declared Tharparkar a calamity-hit district last week with a promise to mitigate the sufferings of people and livestock by making available grain and fodder at subsidized rates.

The official machinery has come into action and Haleem Adil Shaikh, adviser to the chief minister on relief, briefing journalists at the Circuit House on Friday said that the scale of disaster was so huge that it was impossible for the government to tackle the situation alone, hence international relief agencies, NGOs, concerned departments and philanthropists should launch a collective drive for overcoming its impact.

Deputy Commissioner Makhdoom Shakil Zaman told the adviser that scanty rainfall this year has created food and water shortage thus forcing impoverished families to migrate to greener pastures. He called for making provision of essential commodities to such families.

The adviser immediately responded to the DC’s request by seeking a list of required items latest by Monday and ordered arrangements for provision of fodder, water and treatment of livestock on roads from Nagarparkar to Mithi, Umerkot to Chhachhro, Diplo to Badin and Mithi to Naokot.

Earlier, he chaired a meeting with the officers of different departments, besides representatives of various NGOs and called for devising a strategy to cope with Thar drought.

He also asked for keeping functional the reverse osmosis plants of the Sindh Coal Authority for provision of water in relevant areas and availability of anti-snake venom in hospitals.

However, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has described Thar’s drought as a normal one. Besides, it is also being assumed that the underground water level can’t stoop as low to make it brackish keeping in view the last two years’ rainfall.—Prem Shivani