Pakistan: Cholistan drought feared to result in famine

Nation.com

If the government does not take immediate steps, drought in Cholistan could result in widespread famine after Tharparkar, the affected people feared, demanding that it should declare Cholistan a disaster-hit area.

The desert consists of 6,600,000 acres of land where average rainfall is 75 to 80 millilitre and in the last year due to lack of rains and uncleanliness of more than 1,100 tobas, Cholistan is going through drought.

If there are no rainfalls in Cholistan until April, there is a danger that it might take the same shape like Thar. According to the experts, Cholistan faces famine after every 10 years which can be prevented by taking timely steps. They suggested that the government should make active 10 mobile dispensaries of livestock in Cholistan. They also said that it should repair and make functional the 254-kilometre pipeline which Cholistan Development Authority had installed.

Soodiya Water Supply Project worth millions of rupees is 90 percent complete but facing funds shortage and has been left incomplete. They also demanded immediate release of funds for its completion, and establishment of the camps for the people and livestock besides provision of medicines and food. However, the Bahawalpur commissioner is giving the report of all is well which is not true, they said.

Owing to the drought in Cholistan desert, the people have started leaving the area along with their cattle on a large scale as 99% tobas have dried up. “The government should declare Cholistan calamity-hit area and take steps to save the lives on emergency basis,” demanded the people. According to unofficial statistics, over 200,000 cattle heads including camel, cows and sheep and almost 175,000 Cholistani people totally rely on water which gathers in the tobas during the rains. Because of uncleanliness, the tobas had filled by sand.

As per official statistics, the government of Punjab every year accumulate revenue of Rs2 billion from Cholistan but the people are still deprived of water in this modern era. The water is shared by animals and the human. The residents of Toba Tharowali, Toba Qasaiwala, Toba Kitanawala, Toba Khokranwali, Toba Khariwala, Toba Bhochraanwali and Toba Akmalwala criticized the government for the situation.

Sooba Ram, Waryaam, Allah Bachaya, Hamid Razzaq, Sachoo Khan and Abdul Majeed said that billions of rupees was accumulated from Bahawalpur but in return the people were not even provided with the basic facilities. Because of the lack of attention of the government, several tobas had filled with sand, they regretted.