SHC seeks
fact-finding report
on Thar drought
(25th, March,2014) -
Onepakistannews
The Sindh High Court
(SHC) on Tuesday
directed Sindh
government to place
on record the report
of fact-finding
committee
constituted to probe
Tharparkar tragedy,
mostly deaths of
women and children
due to famine like
situation in
Tharparkar.
A division bench
headed by Chief
Justice Maqbool
Baqar wondered that
provincial
authorities had
neither apprised the
court of a task of
fact-finding into
Thar tragedy
assigned to
Sanaullah Abbasi DIG
Hyderabad nor has
submitted a report
in this regard. It
issued directives to
advocate general
Sindh to furnish a
copy of the report
before court on next
date of hearing.
The two-judge bench
gave these
directions while
hearing a petition
filed by Pakistan
Institute of Labour
and Education
Research (PILER) and
others seeking
action against the
government officials
for their failure in
providing relief and
health facilities to
famine-hit
Tharparkar.
The hench
constituted a
three-member
committee under the
supervision of
additional district
to carry out
inspection as to
whether the medical
officers posted by
health department in
desert were properly
discharging their
duties and submit
its report.
The court instructed
committee to also
comment in report on
the adequacy,
efficiency and
effectiveness of
various health
facilities in
Tharparkar and
submit their
proposals and
recommendation to
improve the same.
The report shall be
submitted on next
date of hearing, the
court order added.
The bench ordered
health secretary to
provide a list of
doctors, who have
been posted in
Tharparkar for
rescue and relief
operation, have
defied the orders
and shall inform the
court about progress
made in disciplinary
action against such
doctors.
The two-judge bench
censured the
secretary food and
secretary Board of
Revenue Sindh, who
failed to provide
the court with
information
regarding entire
mechanism of food
supply in desert
areas.
It said that it is
of basic important
that government
inform the court
about entire
mechanism of food
supply system in the
province and more
particularly in its
far flung areas and
what was the role
and responsibilities
of the food
department in this
regard, and what is
basic criteria for
the relief
department to supply
food.
Provincial
government told the
court that three
persons Fazul ur
Rehman ex-relief
commissioner, Ghulam
Mustafa commissioner
Mirpurkhas and
Makhdoom Aqeel uz
Zaman deputy
commissioner
Mirpurkhas were
removed from the
post on their
negligent behavior
in providing relief
and health
facilities in
Tharparkar. The
court ordered three
persons to appear
before it
well-prepared to
meet all relevant
queries of court
that may be raised.
The judges became
visibly irked when
they were informed
by relief
commissioner that
still 22758 families
were without food
and relief items
from government. The
court directed chief
secretary to
urgently take up the
matter and make
immediate
arrangements for
food supplies to the
families.
The court asked him
to submit
comprehensive and
detailed report in
this regard before
the next date
hearing.
The petitioners
represented by
advocate Faisla
Siddiqu submitted in
petition that most
areas of Tharparkar,
including Mithi,
Chachro, Diplo,
Islamkot and
Nangarparkar, were
facing a famine-like
situation and over
200 people, majority
of them malnourished
children, had died.
They said that
around 175,000
families were
reported to have
been affected with
some of them forced
to leave their homes
due to famine.
Mode of sustenance:
For the people of
Thar, livestock
means life
(19th, March, 2014)
- The Express
Tribune
According to
statistics obtained
from the last survey
of livestock in
2006, the total
number of
domesticated animals
in the region was
4,593,598. The
number has now
crossed six million
over the last seven
years. Meanwhile,
there are only 11
veterinary doctors
against the 17
sanctioned
vacancies.
Over 75 per cent of
the animals in Sindh
are reportedly in
Tharparkar where
there is just one
doctor to cater to
over 600,000
animals. Compare
these figures to the
Punjab where there
is a doctor for
every 100,000
animals. “What we
lack is planning,
advocacy and
awareness among the
people,” an official
of the livestock
department said on
the condition of
anonymity.
The mobilisation of
animals between
Tharparkar and its
adjacent barrage
areas, including
Badin and Mirpurkhas,
is a routine
practice. Residents
of the barrage areas
move their animals
to the desert in
search of greener
pastures during the
time of floods,
while the people of
Tharparkar move
their animals when
the drought hits
parts of the desert.
“It is a routine
practice. We cannot
stay here because
our animals will die
due to the
non-availability of
fodder,” Loang, a
resident of village
Lanjha, Diplo, who
owns 40 cattle, told
The Express Tribune.
He was on his way to
Badin with his
livestock. Loang
revealed that over a
dozen of his cows
had died in the last
three months. “I
simply cannot afford
for more of my
livestock to die.”
According to a
survey conducted by
a Thar-based
organisation,
Thardeep, about
42,000 sheep have
died in the region
between January to
March 14. “They have
all died because of
a viral disease,”
believed its chief,
Zaffar Junejo. “They
have not died
because of the
drought, but failure
of vaccination,” he
claimed.
Junejo went on to
warn that the
situation could
deteriorate in the
coming days with
foot and mouth
diseases. He
insisted that only
proper vaccination
could save the
thousands of animals
in Thar.
According to the
residents of Thar,
the mobilisation of
their animals is
interlinked with
their labour in the
fields of landlords
of the barrage
areas. “We work on
their land and in
return, our animals
are given fodder and
we get some cash as
well,” another
resident of Mithi
taluka, Bachayo,
told The Express
Tribune. “Our
animals are our
assets and we cannot
take more risk,” he
added.
Meanwhile, officials
of the livestock
department blame the
mobilisation of
animals as the cause
of viral and
bacterial diseases
in Thar and its
adjacent areas.
“There is a refusal
to vaccinate these
animals too,” said
an official. He
added that there was
also a dearth of
adequate funding for
research and
vaccination in the
province.
Livestock herding is
the single largest
source of income for
the people of Thar.
For them, the death
of one animal is an
indicator that the
disease could
spread. “This is all
because of the lack
of rainfal,”
believed Gopal, a
resident of village
Motatiyon.
Junejo disagreed.
“No, it is because
of a lack of
seriousness on the
government’s part.
Thar received only
30 per cent less
rain this year,”
said Junejo,
rejecting the
arguments of the
villagers.
The livestock
department’s
officials and social
activists believe
that the animals of
Thar could be saved
if timely
vaccination was
carried out. They
also urged that the
livestock of the
area could generate
a sizeable revenue
if serious efforts
were made.
Drought in
Tharparkar: Death
toll reaches 121 in
three months
(7th, March, 2014) -
The express Tribune
Surgeon Dr Jaur
Kumar said 23 deaths
had been registered
at the Mithi taluka
hospital, citing
various causes in
addition to food
deficiency.
According to
sources, 38 children
died of malnutrition
in the Mithi taluka
hospital in December
2013, and there were
42 deaths in
January, 36 in
February; there have
been five deaths in
March thus far.
Local
representatives of
the World Health
Organization (WHO)
are reluctant to
share their findings
and WHO’s Dr
Nasrullah Thebo and
Dr Nisar refused to
comment on the
deaths. These
figures are not
officially accepted
and Dr Kumar, who
publicly accepted
that 23 deaths had
been registered in
February, was
suspended by the
chief minister for
failing to cope with
the situation.
The flurry among
government officials
and the sudden visit
of chief minister
Sindh Qaim Ali Shah
on Thursday to take
stock of the
situation indicates
its severity. “I
came here after
watching the media
reports,” the CM
said. “Some 60
children have died
in the last two
months due to
pneumonia and other
illnesses,” added
Shah, who visited
the hospital and
inaugurated a
subsidized wheat
distribution
programme.
The provincial
government usually
declares a state of
drought in Thar by
September or October
when there is low
rainfall during and
after the monsoon
season. However,
with moderate to low
rainfall occurring
until late September
last year, the
government pushed
the announcement
forward and
provision of relief
was thus delayed.
Deputy Commissioner
Makhdoom Aqeeluz
Zaman admitted that
there is a problem
to contend with, but
deflected
responsibility from
his administration,
saying, “We have
seen statistics in
the past which show
that such incidents
happen during
droughts.”
According to
sources, local
administration and
health officials
described the
situation as ‘normal
during drought’
while briefing the
chief minister. “We
expected that the CM
would announce a
special package and
compensation for
families whose
children have died
but he did not even
mention how long the
subsidized wheat
distribution
programme will
continue,” an
official who was at
the meeting told The
Express Tribune.
As many as 60,000
wheat bags, 25
kilograms each, are
slated for
distribution in the
district. Usually
this process starts
in November or
December and
continues for at
least three months
until spring.
Speaking with the
media, the chief
minister said more
wheat would be
supplied in case of
a shortfall, but did
not specify a
timeframe for the
distribution.
Additionally, the
district
administration owes
Rs60 million to
transporters
responsible for
ferrying wheat
across the desert
region and a local
activist pointed out
that distribution
will not commence
until these dues
from 2012 and
previous years are
cleared. “The
quantity of wheat to
be distributed is
too little and too
late,” he added. The
chief minister said
he has taken notice
of the transporters’
complaints and said
the problem would be
addressed.
Locals have seen the
numbers of cattle,
camels and peacocks
whittled down during
the drought this
year. The chief
minister has
suspended local
livestock officials
for their failure to
control the
situation.
Additionally, to the
chagrin of the
Tharis, Shah has
also imposed a ban
on the sale of
cattle from Thar to
other districts for
a period of 15 days
in view of the
deteriorating health
of the animals.
Additionally,
Pakistan Peoples
Party
Patron-In-Chief
Bilawal Bhutto
Zardari has directed
the Sindh government
to launch relief
operations in the
Thar desert
immediately and
called for a Special
Relief Committee to
monitor the
situation. Speaking
with his Advisor on
Minority Affairs
Surendar Valasai,
who belongs to Thar,
he expressed his
concern over the
deaths of 32
children and said he
will take the issue
up with Chief
Minister Qaim Ali
Shah.
Development: 70
water tanks to be
installed in
Cholistan
(4th, March, 2014) -
The Express Tribune
Presiding over a
meeting to plan for
any eventuality in
Cholistan, the chief
secretary said the
water tanks were
part of a plan to
provide drinking
water to the people.
He said all
government
departments should
work together to
facilitate the
people of the
region.
“Fortunately, the
situation in
Cholistan is much
better compared to
Tharparkar… all
government officials
should continue to
perform their duties
honestly,” he said.
Cheema directed the
Health Department to
ensure that doctors
were present at all
times at basic
health centres.
“Strict action
should be taken
against absentee
doctors,” he added.
He said mobile
dispensaries should
be sent to areas far
from towns.
“Everyone should
have the right to
seek medical
treatment.”
He said arrangements
should also be made
to vaccinate
livestock.
The chief secretary
approved a project
to clean tobas
(ponds) in Cholistan
with help from the
Department of Range
Management.
Commissioner Captain
(r) Asadullah Khan
said four medical
camps and four
livestock camps had
been established in
Cholistan where 850
people and more than
8,000 animals had
been treated.
He said 52,000
gallons water was
being provided to
the people through
that tobas under
four water supply
schemes.
“There is no
immediate danger of
food shortage or
spread of contagious
diseases in any part
of the Cholistan,”
he added.
MPA Khalid Jajja
told the meeting
water supply to
several areas in
Cholistan had
stopped because
transformers were
being stolen.
Chaudhry Saud Majeed,
the chief minister’s
coordinator for the
region, said a
system should be
developed for
provision of fodder
to livestock in
Cholistan.
