The Express Tribune
Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday travelled to Mithi, the main city in Tharparkar, which was officially declared drought-hit nearly two months ago.
Zardari visited the Civil Hospital and the office of Thar Coal Project before chairing a meeting of local officials.
The former president directed the Sindh government to establish a university, cadet college and vocational school in the district. He also announced provision of greater health and drinking water facilities for Tharparkar and promised a water purification plant for every village. He also instructed the provincial authorities to set up 150 dastarkhwans (free community meals) in Mithi.
Zardari asked the chief operating officer of the reverse osmosis (RO) plants, Irshad Hussain, to make all defunct RO plants functional and to build new ones. According to Hussain, the combined capacity of all the 48 RO plants is 75,000 gallons, enough to supply drinking water for 25,000 to 30,000 people, while another 25 RO plants are under construction.
Zardari visited children’s nursery and paediatrics ward at the Civil Hospital Mithi where he inquired form the parents about their children’s health. He also visited Bahria Town’s medical camp, where four mobile medical teams are busy treating people.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and provincial ministers Sharjeel Memon, Jam Khan Shoro, Dost Ali Rahimo and others were also present in the meeting.
Memon said the government wanted to provide an RO plant to each village of Tharparkar. He added that the drip irrigation technique, which helps grow crops with the lowest possible use of water, will be introduced for growth of pastures for livestock which is the mainstay of the Thari economy.
The desert region received low rainfall last year. Moreover, the small amount of pastures and crops in the region were destroyed by an unusually strong wave of cold winter.
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