LAYYAH: Unending erosion by the river Indus has forced hundreds of people in the riverine belt throughout the district to shift to safer places.

The land erosion by the river has been recurring time and again for the last few years and the authorities concerned seem indifferent to the plight of the people who have lost their home and hearth.

Of late, the river has engulfed fertile land and 18 mauziat which include Baseera, Mongar and Warrah Seharan in Karor tehsil and Mauza Nooraywala Katcha, Thori, Sumra Nashaib Shumali and Janobi Katcha, Rakh Khokhar, Khokarwala Katcha, Shahwala Katcha, Bait Gujji, Dullo Nashaib, Lohanch Nashaib, Kotla Qazi Nashaib and Bhakkari Ahmed Khan.

According to the revenue department`s record, 3,600 acre fertile agriculture land has been engulfed by the river water during the last four months damaging crops of sugarcane, rice, green fodder, sesame seeds and pulses worth millions.

As many as 324 families have been displaced and 542 houses, 426 of them mud dwellings, wiped off.

Speaking to Dawn, Muhammad Ramzan, a former resident of Basti Maitla, let loose his indignation at thegovernment for leaving hundreds of people at the mercy of erosion. `We have lost our livelihoods but no one has come to our rescue,` he said.

Atta Muhammad, an elderly man who was loading his belongings on a truck, said: `I have sold my cattle to arrange Rs12,000 to move to some other place.

Fauji Muhammad Bodla said it`s heart-rending to move away from one`s home. `The area was full of life until a few days ago but erosion has rendered it uninhabitable. The affected families will not be rehabilitated as the elected representatives are not aware of our plight and the rulers are more interested in Metro train and other projects for big cities,` bemoaned Bodla, tears welling up in his eyes.

Deputy Commissioner Wajid Ali Shah admitted that erosion had once again wreaked havoc on villages. He said, `a model study for the phenomenon of erosion has been carrie d out by hydel experts at a cost of Rs2.5 million and it will be practically tested at Nandipur hydel institute within the next few days. The delay was caused by the closure of the canal which is now flowing after annual maintenance.

`We have submitted a summary for the provision of Rs373 million to construct dykes and spoors in the riverine area to protect the whole river belt of the district from erosion and flood.