Aziz Sanghur
senior staff reporter
The Nation news paper  Karachi.
For Ido Network News

Aziz Sanghur reports from KARACHI- Due to the prolonged drought more than one million population in Tharparkar district, has been directly affected and around 1,83,000 people are reported to have moved towards the irrigated areas of the province and at least 300 settlements are currently affected. According to survey a group of Karachi-based journalists in Tharparkar, organized by Mithi Press Club in collaboration with the Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP). Tharparkar district lies in the south-eastern part of Sindh province and is one of the most deprived regions of Pakistan. It has a population of about one million. Thar is a desert. Agriculture and pastoral activity is the main source of income of the people. Both the activities depend on rainfall, which is often erratic and falls between July and September.

It has been noted in the survey that the entire area is a large pocket of poverty with 95 per cent of the population living below the poverty line.

Executive Director, TRDP, Dr. Sono Khangharani say in the past if there was no rain in parts of Thar, some other areas of the desert used to receive some showers. As a result, the people of Thar used to pull on while shifting from one area of the desert to the other one, he added. "But this time around the situation in the whole of Thar has been more or less the same with no rain in the entire stretch. This has aggravated the effects of drought for the people of Thar", remarked Sono.

He pointed out that in the past the people of Thar, after being hit by drought-like conditions, used to shift to irrigated areas of the province along with their cattle to earn some livelihood and also for providing fodder for their cattle. But this time, firstly, the intensity of crops even in Barrage areas is far less as against the past due to the fact that Sindh had been facing unprecedented water shortage since the last two years, he added.

Dr. said: "As a result, these people have started selling their cattle at very cheap rate to feed themselves as well as their children. The only asset with the people of Thar has all along been the cattle. With the sale of cattle now they are left with no asset for future".

The journalist's team found sharp decline in this source too resulting in increased number of livestock deaths. Due to the poor condition of the trees (particularly fodder) the severity in livestock was recorded, which could lead to a crisis situation if not addressed timely.

Talking to this scribe, President, Mithi Press Club, Khatau Jani said that several Basic Health Units (BHUs), and private clinics, more people were affected by cold, flu, and fever as compared to data of this month for the last year. This occurred because of drought and poor nutrition, leading to low immunity levels, he added.

He said that 505 cases were recorded as malnourished and anaemic during this month. The doctors foresee the increased use of red chillies, Chapati and brackish water may create gastrointestinal infections in coming months of summer and would require special measures to cope with the situation, he added.

The desert areas of Tharparkar district, generally known as Thar, consist of the Talukas of Mithi, Chachro, and Nagarparkar and parts of the Diplo and Umarkot Talukas. The total area of the Desert is 22,000 square kilometers. The desert population from times immemorial has migrated to the irrigated areas in the dry seasons and particularly at the times of wheat harvest and also provides labour for sugarcane and for brink kilns. Mostly lower Hindu caste migrates regularly. Migrations do occur within Thar particularly on the first rain shower which occasionally covers the whole Thar in first instance.

The animal population is estimated around 4 million with high portion of goats and sheep followed by cattle, and camel. The desert consists of sand dunes between, which are flat plains where agriculture can take place. The total land of Tharparkar is about 4.7 million hectares (1.7 million hectares not cultivable) Agriculture in the desert is entirely dependent on rainfall.

The residents of Thar have expressed dissatisfaction over the relief package of the government for these people. In order to face the current year's drought, the Central Zakat Council has allocated an amount of Rs 190 million for purchase and distribution of wheat free of cost but concerned officials distributed the wheat on the political basis among the political activists.

At present, Pakistan blooms because of freedom except Thar, which still has no water; either from Nature's bounty like rain or from the able hand of our various governments and hydrological experts! And yet there is the quaint essential beauty in the miles of sand; artistically twisted, fossilized plants, long ranges of silken sand dunes. Hamlets with charming, rustic straw cottages of unusual round shape that speaks of the neatnes and diligence of a people accustomed to make a great deal out of nothing. This used to be a different world. A people dotted sparingly like a few scrub trees, sparse in number yet so charming, so simple, as if life had just began. Time stood still. One felt as if God has sent man to earth at this very moment.

One entered Thar, mentally prepared to see the world as it was eons ago. Obviously, life in Thar is incredibly difficult even in modern times. Romanticism, although conjured up by fascinated motivation can delude. Only when one lives with the local inhabitants and experiences the mechanics of day to day life, does truth dawn and one is face to face with reality. People of Thar are forced to leave their homes and labour in these irrigated areas. Like nomads they migrate with all they own, which is meagre enough and some heads of cattle. And they come into civilizatins and labour diligently for the big zamindars of these areas.

Education department: There are 22 high schools in the 21 locations, middle schools 30 at 30 locations for boys whereas 4 high schools at 4 locations and 12 middle schools at 11 locations are working for girls. In primary, there are about 2400 primary schools at about 2000 locations for boys and four hundred schools for girls in whole of Thar are reported. In addition to that there is a degree college in Mithi which had enrolled more than 800 students. Several ghost schools are operating on the papers and the ghosts teachers are collecting their salaries from concerned officials.

Health Department: There are two big hospitals which have got the status of civil hospital in the towns of Mithi and Diplo whereas two RHC of A category, three RHC of B category in whole of Thar. Besides the health department operates 28 BHUs and 20 Dispensaries in Thar. Except two big hospitals, there are 65 medical doctors, 57 medical technician, 51 EPI workers and 41 Malaria supervisor working in Thar. It is important to note that only one lady doctor is working in Thar.

Metallic road: In district Thar the metallic road is about 200 kilometers, which facilitates about 150 villages. Except Mithi, Diplo, Islamkot, Chachro, and very recently Nagarparkar are electrified. Besides, only 20 villages are electrified in Thar. Mithi, Diplo, and Islamkot are connected with NWD network. Whereas non-NWD networks or exchanges are 10 and PCOs are 100 in Thar.

Communities: There are several communities in Muslims as well as in Hindu castes. In Muslims, more than 90 per cents castes belongs to smat clans. Whereas in Hindus, there are mojor portions of lower castes such as menghwars, Koli, Bheel, and uper hindu castes there are Lohanas and Bania (both trading communities) whereas Takirs are the land lords of the area.

Email. azizsanghur@yahoo.com