Thar declared drought-hit as 90% of crops perish

CM orders emergency water, fodder supplies, directs restoration of defunct RO plants

KARACHI:

With nearly 90 per cent of cultivated crops destroyed and livestock facing mounting threats from water and fodder shortages, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has declared Tharparkar a drought-hit district, ordering immediate relief measures to protect vulnerable communities and their livelihoods.

Chairing a meeting at the Chief Minister's House on Saturday, Shah reviewed the drought situation across all seven talukas of Tharparkar and directed relevant departments to ensure uninterrupted supplies of drinking water, fodder and essential commodities.

Officials informed the meeting that 85 to 90 per cent of cultivated crops had either been destroyed or rendered unproductive, with only 10 to 15 per cent surviving, according to reports from local revenue officials.

Expressing concern over the impact of erratic rainfall on agriculture and livestock, the chief minister directed Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah to immediately repair and restore all non-functional reverse osmosis (RO) plants and ensure existing water supply systems were fully operational.

He also ordered an assessment of the feasibility of laying a dedicated water supply pipeline from Naukot to Mithi to provide the town with a sustainable source of drinking water.

The chief minister stressed that livestock, a major source of livelihood for Thar's population, must be protected through emergency fodder arrangements and coordinated relief operations.

The briefing revealed that although the seven talukas received between 181 and 273 millimetres of monsoon rainfall in 2026, September precipitation was particularly poor, ranging from just one to 36 millimetres. Consequently, crops and natural grasses dried up before reaching maturity.

Murad assured residents that the provincial government would stand by them, directing the administration to closely monitor the situation and ensure that no affected community was deprived of essential relief.