Kashmore remains neglected

KARAMPUR: Kashmore-Kandhkot – the first affected district in Sindh – still awaits aid from donors and support from the government, although several days have passed since the floods first hit. The villages and houses on the outskirts of Karampur are completely inundated and no help has been extended to the displaced.

More than 90 per cent of the total population of the district have moved to higher ground like the highway on main Shikarpur road, Sukkur, Khairpur and Karachi.

The main bypass road going from Shikarpur to Karampur was flooded with water and the only means of transportation was through on trollies pulled by tractors.

Villagers still await boats and medical camps, which have so far not been provided. “We have snakes in the area but no anti-venom vaccination was available,” said Bhagyo, an elderly victim.

Three army helicopters dropped relief goods for the villagers of Karampur, but failed to return after one round.

Many affected people complained that the entire focus was on Sukkur and other districts, which were not even half as badly affected as Karampur and Ghauspur.

The UN donors agencies were also contacted by the Bijrani estate, but to no avail after several promises made by world food program and need assessment wing of UN. “I told the UN donors about the situation here and they assured help but it has been more than a week without any response,” the minister’s son Mansoor Ali Bijarani who has been managing the relief activities in the district.

Coordinator for UNOCHA, Fawad Hussian, disclosed that due to law and order situation it was difficult to carry out relief activities in the district. The UN has been working with local NGOs in various districts to help IDP s, but Kashmore remains neglected.

The only town least affected is Karampur where most of the villagers gather outside the house of Federal Minister for production, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani.

“We are told there will not be any food left after a few days as Mir cannot cater to thousands of villagers,” said Qasim Dahlani, from a neighbouring village.

Bijarani feared that essential commodities being supplied from utility stores will not last longer than another four days. “We are trying our best with the available resources we have, but donors need to step in to help us face the challenge,” said Mansoor Bijarani.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2010.