Drought effects: Four more children die in Tharparkar

Reports of deaths in adjoining districts.

SUKKUR/ HYDERABAD:

As four more children lost their lives in drought-stricken Tharparkar on Thursday, the provincial government stuck to its guns, blaming the media for giving an exaggerated account of the situation.

“It is a media-made disaster,” said Taj Haider, the Sindh government’s relief coordinator, at a press briefing in Mithi taluka. The death toll now stands at 139, although some unofficial accounts have put the figure closer to 200. Government officials say 70 people have died and deny that they perished due to famine-related malnourishment.

Three of the deaths were reported from Mithi and one from Chachro taluka. The youngest was aged three months and the oldest was two years old. The children, from the villages of Dhakho, Niasar, Sarnagho and Vakrio, died in hospital in Mithi.

Dr Aneel Kumar of Mithi’s Civil Hospital says more than 80 children are receiving treatment in the paediatrics ward (with a capacity of 40); 25 of these children were admitted overnight. Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah visited the hospital on Thursday in his fourth visit in a week.

Speaking with the media, Haider reiterated that most of the deaths had occurred due to cold weather and pneumonia. Additionally, he refuted claims that migration was taking place in the area due to the drought. “Every year, people from Tharparkar migrate to other districts seeking employment during the wheat harvest season,” he said.

Relief

The government says relief efforts are well underway, with subsidized wheat bags of 50 kilogrammes each provided to 104,000 families to date. Haider says the government will provide wheat to 259,945 families in the district. “The government allotted Rs53 million earlier for the provision of wheat but that sum has been doubled with an addition of Rs50 million,” he told reporters on Thursday. The Pakistan army has also distributed 360 tonnes of ration to date.

Additionally, the provincial governments are pitching in – three trucks of rice have arrived from Balochistan while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sent a team of 15 doctors and Rs100 million in aid.

The drought spreads

Effects of the drought have spilled over into nearby districts, with reports of casualties from the Achro Thar area, where two children (aged four and two) have died due to malnutrition in Kot Jubo in eastern Khairpur district. There are reports of shortages of water, food, medicines and fodder for livestock in areas including Tar Ranaho, Tar Mosano, Tar Khanaho and Tar Mokat. The Sindh government has issued a drought alert for nine other districts following reports of livestock deaths and district administrations in Umerkot, Sanghar and Badin claim immunization of livestock is underway.

However, the provision of fodder to address the diminishing strength of animals has still not started. “We have no money to pay for fodder,” said Suleman Samejo, a resident of Umerkot’s Khokhrapar taluka. At least five union councils of Tharparkar including Khokhrapar, Faqir Abdullah, Khajrani, Ghareebabad and Kaplar have been declared ‘drought-hit’. The deputy commissioner of Umerkot Nadeemur Rehman Memon said he has written to the provincial government to provide subsidized wheat for three months in the affected UCs and fodder for the livestock. DC Sanghar district Sikandar Ali Khushk said his administration is also carrying out a survey to find out how many animals have died. He said he has requested the provincial government to provide fodder for animals and water for people in Achro Thar.

Sukkur Commissioner Dr. Niaz Ali Abbasi and Deputy Commissioner Khairpur Munawar Ali Mithyani visited areas in Achro Thar, including Kot Jubo, on Wednesday. Speaking with the media in Khairpur, Abbasi said that while no loss of life had been reported, there have been complaints about the deaths of livestock including cows, goats and sheep. He added that there are unconfirmed reports of six deaths in various areas including Kot Jubo and an inquiry is underway. Abbasi said mobile dispensaries have been set up in the area as well as six veterinary camps, where more than 5,000 animals have been vaccinated so far.

Speaking with The Express Tribune, Deputy Commissioner Khairpur Munawar Ali Mithyani said he visited areas in Achro Thar from Choondko, Nara, to the Indian border. While the situation is alarming, he said, it is ‘not out of control’. He confirmed that hundreds of animals have died due to shortages of water and fodder but there have been no reports of human casualties.

There have been large numbers of migrations to urban areas. Most migrants complained that relief work was patchy at best.

The Rangers have requested donations for the drought-affected families. The information is as follows - Account Number: Emergency relief fund account number 002165051078-6, Askari Commercial Bank Ltd. Saima Trade Tower, I I Chundrigar Road Karachi.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2014.