Sindh parched
The arid zone of Sindh is in the grip of a severe drought. The region comprises 48 per cent of the province's land area but has only one per cent of its water resources. Mirza Karim Baig, provincial relief commissioner, Sindh government, recently said the government has declared Tharparkar and Sanghar districts as calamity-hit. It has also decided to provide wheat at half price in Tharparkar. But experts and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the area complain that the relief measures leave a lot to be desired. They suggest Pakistan should learn water harvesting from India and ensure alternative employment to the people.
"The last decade witnessed persistent shortfall in rain in many parts of Pakistan, including the Thar Desert and much of Balochistan. While this is a natural phenomenon, the severity of drought results from our own actions,' says Haris Gazdar, an economist. "Drought mitigation requires sustainable water management. Groundwater resources should not be mined excessively. Timely relief and alternative labour opportunities should be provided in drought-prone areas.' Pointing out that one part of the Thar Desert is in India, Kaiser Bengali, managing director, Social Policy and Development Centre, a Karachi-based think tank, says Pakistan should learn water harvesting techniques from India to minimise the drought's impact.
According to a report prepared by Thardeep Rural Development Programme, an NGO operating in Tharparkar, the drought has affected nearly 1.6 million people in 3,329 villages with 5.1 million livestock. The main source of income for these villagers is rain-fed agriculture and livestock, both hit badly. "The crop has been completely destroyed