Govt blamed for flood devastation in villages

Residents believe that the flooding would not have happened if the authorities had not created breaches.

HYDERABAD: As floods have made their way down to Hyderabad inundating many villages, residents of kachcha areas believe that if the authorities had not created breaches in the embankments they had built on Indus River, their villages would not have been flooded.

More than 20 villages in the Latifabad kachcha areas have been submerged as a flood passes through the Kotri Barrage. Most villages have been flooded in Latifabad No. 10, including villages Haji Khan Leghari, Fazal Khan Leghari, Bacho Khan Leghari, Major Baqar and Ismail Khan Leghari.

As a result, at least 3,000 affected people have started to make their way to safer areas. Some families have even set up camps on the embankments.

Families in the kachcha areas of Jamshoro and Hyderabad have built illegal embankments on the Indus River to protect their villages. Since the river narrowed down due to these bunds, the Sindh chief secretary had ordered their removal when he visited these areas a week ago.

He explained that the river must be allowed to run its normal course otherwise the torrents expected to hit Kotri Barrage will create more devastation.

Since then, around seven bunds have been torn down in district Matiari, four bunds in Hyderabad and four in Jamshoro.

Favouritism in distribution of relief goods

The distribution of relief goods in certain areas is being done on the basis of favouritism and people who belong to the rival political group are deliberately left out.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s MNA Ayaz Hussain Shah Shirazi, who was elected from the Thatta-Sajawal constituency, believes that the people of his constituency are being sidelined.

“We assured our people that they will be taken care of if they agree to evacuate their villages,” he told The Express Tribune. “But now they are living in camps with no food or tents,” he added.

He hoped that the distributors will see that “we are all Pakistanis” and not differentiate among the recipients.

If this issue is not resolved within three days, Shirazi warned that he and his supporters will stage a sit-in at the Sajawal-Thatta bridge. The protest will continue until the government takes action, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2010.