DADU, Sept 22: Relief goods have not been distributed among rain victims of Kachho as residents of 20 affected villages are living without basic facilities like water and medical facilities.

A survey conducted by this correspondent revealed that the majority of the victims had been infected with diseases like gastroenteritis, malaria and skin diseases.

Five people had died of gastroenteritis during the last 15 days.

This correspondent visited some of the affected villages of Kachho and witnessed that their inhabitants were using unhygienic rain water accumulated in ponds and ditches.

Nearly every family has been hit by malaria, gastroenteritis and skin diseases.

The worst affected villages, where all the houses had reportedly collapsed, did not receive relief from the Sindh government, the district administration or any NGO.

An eight-year-long drought had compelled a large population of Kachho to migrate. During current monsoon, the area received heavy rains and hundreds of families returned to their native villages but they are facing hardships due to lack of basic facilities.

Khalid Ahmed Panhwar of the Ghulam Panhwar village, said that 40 out of 100 houses in Ghulam Panhwar village had collapsed and remaining houses were damaged due to rains and flood water of Nain Gaj.

He regretted that no team had arrived there to offer relief goods or help them to repair their houses.

He said that two villagers, Waryam Panhwar 45, son of Ghulam Mohammad, and Shafi Mohammad 17, son of Hajan, had died of gastroenteritis during the last two weeks.

Aziz Lund of the Pat Suleman village said that about 50 per cent villagers were infected with gastroenteritis because they were using contaminated water of ditches.

He said that a villager, Bhuro Khan Lund, had died of malaria about 10 days ago.

Mohammad Ali, head of Haji Ghulam Mohammad Jamali village, said that the people of his village had not received relief goods where 50 houses were affected due to the rains and 50 inhabitants of his village were infected with malaria and gastroenteritis.

He said that one person, Dost Mohammad 40, son of Bakhshal, had died of gastroenteritis three days ago.

He said that no medical facility was available there.

In Ilyas Jamali village, this correspondent was told that 70 per cent houses were damaged in rains and not a single packet of relief goods was provided to any villager.

The residents of Shafi Mohammad Lund village said that all the houses of the village were damaged and majority of the villagers were infected with gastroenteritis, malaria and skin diseases.

They said that Meehon Lund, 65, had died of gastroenteritis two days back.

Dr Abdul Aziz Babbur, in charge of health centre, Fatoo Brohi, said that the outbreak of gastroenteritis, malaria and skin diseases was reported from Tando Rahim Khan and Sawaro union councils of Johi taluka.

He said that the people as well as animals were consuming rain water accumulated in ditches.

Dr Zubair Ahmed of Wahi Pandhi health centre said that cases of cerebral malaria were reported at his centre.

The situation in the villages of Ali Bukhsh Gopang, Abbas Lund, Chidry, Jam Babbur, Kando Babbur, Moosa Jamali, Meenho Chandio, Qasim Rodhnani, Yar Mohammad Lund, Surhia and Ranjho Babbur was no different.

The inhabitants of the villages appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf to direct the authorities to provide them relief.

OIL PIPELINE DAMAGED: Five thieves damaged Parco’s oil pipeline while stealing oil and filling tankers near Phulji some 18km off here the other day.

The police seized machinery used in the oil theft but failed to arrest anyone.

Five thieves damaged the oil pipeline at point-260 near Phulji forest while installing automatic instruments on the pipeline and filling tankers with oil.

The security official of the Parco’s Bubak station on receiving the information informed the Rukkan police which sent three parties to the spot.

The police seized automatic machinery from the spot while the thieves escaped with tankers.

The Rukkan police have registered an FIR against Lal Bukhsh Leghari, Haji Bhurgari, Jumo Pathan, Gul Kohistani and Ayoob Mallah.

The Dadu DPO told this correspondent that over five FIRs of oil theft had already been registered against the accused with Sehwan, Bhan Saeedabad and Tharari Mohabbat police stations.