KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday declared Tharparkar a drought-affected district after reviewing the situation and the severe crop losses.
He directed the relevant departments to begin relief work immediately and to ensure that drinking water and essential supplies were available to the affected population.
Presiding over a meeting at the CM House, Mr Shah was briefed on droughtlike conditions in all seven talukas of the district.
The meeting was attended, among others, by MNA Dr Mahesh Malani; MPAs Dost Muhammad Rahimoon, Qasim Soomro, Fageer Sher Muhammad Bilalani and Arbab Lutfullah; Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah; Senior Member of the Board of Revenue Khalid Hyder Shah; and Mirpurkhas Commissioner Shahmir Bhutto.
According to a press statement issued by the CM House, the briefing revealed that all seven talukas were facing drought-likeconditions, with 85 to 90 per cent of cultivated crops either destroyed or rendered unproductive. The agriculture extension department put crop losses at around 90 per cent, while field reports from assistant commissioners and mukhtiarkars confirmed that only 10 to 15 per cent of crops had survived.
The chief minister expressed serious concern over the effect of inadequate and poorly distributed rainfall on agriculture, livestock and livelihoods in the district.
He said the situation demanded immediate government intervention, particularly to protect livestock, a major source of income for the people of the desert district.
He directed the chief secretary to ensure that all non-functional reverse osmosis (RO) plants were repaired and restored on a priority basis. The authorities were also told to identify faults in existing water supply sources and make them fully functional so that local communities had uninterrupted access to drinking water.
Mr Shah further asked the chief secretary to assess the feasibility of laying a dedicated water supply line from Naukot to Mithi to provide the people of Mithi with asustainable and reliable supply. All technical and administrative requirements should be examined urgently, he said, so that a long-term solution to the area’s water shortage could be developed.
The chief minister also stressed the need for urgent arrangements to address the shortage of fodder and protect livestock from the effects of drought. He directed the departments concerned to coordinate their efforts and ensure that relief reached the affected areas without delay.
The briefing noted that rainfall during this year’s monsoon had been uneven.
Although seasonal totals ranged from 181mm to 273mm across the seven talukas, September rainfall was particularly low, at between imm and 36mm. As a result, crops and natural grass dried out before they could mature.
The CM said the provincial government would stand by the people of Tharparkar during this difficult period. He directed the administration to remain vigilant, monitor the situation closely and ensure that no affected community was left without essential support.