What’s the point in relief camp at coast

KARACHI: In spite of relief camps set up by the government, many in areas expected to be the most vulnerable to the cyclone, are choosing to stay in their homes.

“Why should we go to a camp which is at the same distance from the coast as my house,” said Rahim Dablo, 65, a fisherman in Rerhi Goth, Ibrahim Hyderi.

According to Dablo, their houses built of wood are safer. “I have lived my entire life by the sea and am hundred per cent sure that there is no chance of the cyclone hitting Karachi’s coast,” he said.

The government has set up 13 relief camps in Ibrahim Hyderi, a fishing settlement in Karachi. But apart from one camp, are all located at the coast. “Only one camp is established in Lalabad, which is a hilly area, but it lacks facilities such as food, water and medicine,” said Nawaz Dablo, a social worker in the area.

According to Nawaz, leaders of different political parties visited people in cars hoisted with party flags, trying to convince them to move to camps. But people refused.

Minister for Fisheries Zahid Burghari, has denied the lack of facilities. “I personally monitor the camps and more than 90 daigs of food have been distributed among people in Ibrahim Hyderi,” he said.

The situation is the same in Baba and Bhit islands, Salehabad, Shams Pir, Yousinababad in Keamari Town and Mubarak Village.

“Around forty thousand people are living in the areas, majority of them still in their house and unwilling to move,” said Sami Memon, spokesperson for Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum.

He said in case of emergency people would want to stay with their relatives living in other parts of the city. “Around one thousand people have come from Thatta, Badin and other coastal areas of Sindh to Ibrahim Hyderi as the government had promised to provide all facilities here,” he said.

The situation in district Thatta, however, is different. Most people there have been evacuated but complain of not being provided adequate shelter. People evacuated from Keti Bander complained that they have been abandoned under the open sky. “They were sitting on the main road about twenty kilometres away from Keti Bander. The people of nearby villagers gave them shelter,” said Hajan Solangi, a local journalist.

Relief camps in other towns of the district are said to be overcrowded.

People said that each school is housing three to five hundred people. “Women and children are suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, but there are no doctors,” said Mehmood Brohi, a local journalist.

DCO Thatta Manzoor Shaikh said that the army, Ranger and navy personnel have been trying to rescue people from different villages, adding that they have enough food and medicines and are trying to address the complaints.

“Motorboats and life jackets have also been arranged so that people can be rescued in case of emergency,” he said.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2010.