Govt races to aid drought victims
Relief camps had been set up in parts of the Khanpur and Liaquatpur tehsils falling in Cholistan to protect the residents of the adjoining desert areas and their livestock from extreme heat and shortage of water and food.
Rahim Yar Khan Deputy Commissioner Mehtab Wasim Azhar told The Express Tribune that 90 per cent of the families living in the part of Cholistan in the district had moved to safe places with their livestock.
He said medicines, food, clean drinking water, ORS to treat dehydration and other necessities were available in the camps, which are open round the clock.
The official said emergency measures had been taken to protect the people of Cholistan from heat and water shortage.
Read: Govt vows to eradicate polio as 3rd case surfaces
He said the camps had been set up by the district administration near the residential areas in Cholistan and local people were benefiting from them.
The deputy commissioner said vaccination of the cattle of the people of the affected area was also being carried out by the livestock department.
He said clean water was being delivered to the doorsteps through bowsers and temporary ponds were being filled for the cattle.
He added that district administration officials were maintaining contact with the families residing in the affected area and striving to address issues raised by them.
Staffers of the rescue, health, revenue, livestock, police and other departments are present at the camps along with required equipment.
The ongoing drought has highlighted the plight of more than 200,000 people living in the Cholistan desert covering an area of 6.6 million acres in Bahawalpur division without basic amenities.
Livestock farming is the main source of livelihood for the people of Cholistan, which depends on rains.
When it rains, ponds dug for storing water are filled and pastures in the area are rejuvenated, but lack of rainfall results in drought.
The drought amid rising temperatures is proving dangerous for Cholistanis and their livestock.
A local resident, Anis Mehar, told The Express Tribune that a large number of people had been forced to leave their homes for other areas after the death of many cattle because of water shortage.
He said the people of Cholistan had to face hardship in May every year, but effects of climate change appear to have aggravated the problems.
A local farmer, Jeevan Faqir, said the government and research institutes should take steps to protect the people from the effects of climate change. He complained that the authorities repeatedly failed to take timely measures to cope with such crises that hit the area for a few months.
He said the land of Cholistan was fertile. Light rains fill its ponds and pastures provide abundant grass for livestock.
Read More: PM Shehbaz to reveal ‘master plan’ tomorrow
It rains during the monsoon season but there is no arrangement except the ancient ways to preserve rainwater is by storing it in open ponds.
Another resident, Afzal Maitla, said groundwater was available in Cholistan but plants had not been installed to desalinate it.
Water supply to canals in the cultivated areas adjoining the desert is often stopped in the days of drought, when it is needed the most.
Projects of millions of rupees have been completed in Bahawalpur division for water supply through pipelines to Cholistan but they area in a state of disrepair.