SAHIWAL: The 30 families, of Dad Baloch village, made homeless and landless in the ruthless erosion by the River Ravi have yet to get the promised state land to build their residences.

The district government proposed 20 state kanals for them in nearby village 52A-GD. The families are living in a makeshift camp at village Karam Baloch being run by the district government.

Dad Baloch, located along the Ravi, has been subject to erosion for the last four decades. Eroded inch by inch, the village has lost 1,164 acres, of 1,356 acres, and houses and tubewells of the residents.

Residents link the swift erosion with the recent heavy flood in the Ravi. Karam Nisa, a dweller of what used to Dad Baloch, says the floodwater inundated their village in the first week of September on a night when they all were asleep.

“Our belongings such as carts, kitchen pots, pillows, bed sheets and quilts were swept away, while we ran with our livestock,” she said. That is the last time she was in her home.

The similar stories are shared by Muhammad Akram, Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Hanif, Nasir, Alam Sher and Jahangir. All of them miss their homes.

Allah Wasaya says though the camp administration provides them with two-time meals and enough water every day, they need permanent residences. Noor Bibi, a widow who lost her five acres, is worried about the days to come.

“I’m getting food here but what will happen to my kids when we move to the new place where we’ll have to start life from the scratches,” she said.

The villagers say Patwari Irshad Dogar and Naib Tehsildar Sakhi Muhammad have collected their credentials so that they are allotted land in 52A-GD that is eight kilometers from the sunken village.

Assistant Commissioner Sabah Asghar Ali told Dawn the revenue department had proposed 20 kanals in 52A-GD to be allotted to the erosion victims. “Each family will be given five marlas,” she said. She said the district government would seek approval of the land transfer from the Provincial Revenue Department. Sources say the district coordination officer would soon send the request to the department.

A revenue official said the process would take up to three weeks. As the winter is approaching fast, the homeless families are counting days to get the land to restart a life.

Bahawal Sher, a camp resident, says they have lost acres and in return the government is offering them five marlas a family. Tasleem Khan says even if they are allotted five marlas, how they would manage finances to build house.

District administration officials have no answer to this question.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2014