Sudden relief bemuses displaced villagers

About 100 tents were set up by the Muzaffargarh administration in Baseera village on Thursday ahead of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s visit.

Talking to Express News, people who were quickly settled in those tents expressed bemusement and worry that they might be asked to vacate the tents once the PML-N chief leaves the area.

People start constructing houses on their own:

Several flood victims from Mehmood Kot, Shah Jamal, Rohelawali, Kot Addu, Qasba Gujrat and Daira Din Panah who have been returning to the affected areas have reportedly started re-constructing their houses. With no assistance from government departments or aid agencies in this regard, they have initiated the process on a self-help basis.

As the water is receding from flood-affected districts, an increased number of animal deaths are being reported. As the cattle had not been vaccinated properly, several diseases have spread among them. Besides, a number of deaths are being caused by drinking of contaminated flood water. The situation is not being controlled as most veterinary hospitals are out of staff.

Village remains  disconnected:

Kotla Mughlan, a village in Jampur area in Multan’s suburbs, is still contained by flood water. The road-link of the village with the nearby areas has broken and the only way to access the area is through boats or by air.

Village residents told Express News that other than the rare incidents of relief goods thrown to them by helicopters, they had not received any aid. They said that they were barely surviving on their wheat-grain stock and once it finishes they had nothing to sustain them.

A medical camp, though inadequate for the village’s needs, had however been established in the village.

‘Paint your fears’

Mrs Kokab Javed, a Multan resident, has started teaching painting to the children at a relief camp in Multan.

She says that she wanted to let the children, affected by the flood damage, let go of their fears through the use of colours.

“When they’re free to use colours in any way they like on the canvas, they release the trauma they went through during relocation.”

Most of the children, less than 10 years of age, have moved in from Mehmood Kot. “Our teacher is very caring. She brings toys for us and never lets us feel left out,” a student in the painting class says. Mrs Javed says that being a housewife and a mother she could not overlook the plight of the flood victims.

She said that with the government and aid agencies already involved in relief work, she thought it best to teach the children so that they could use their time in constructive activities instead of doing nothing at all.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2010.