BAHAWALPUR: The vast desert of Cholistan is presently in the grip of a long dry spell, resulting in hardships for both the human beings and the livestock.

The desert had been without rainf all during the harsh summer in the region. With the continuing dry spell with no chances of rain in sight so far, the inhabitants and their animal face an acute shortage of water and fodder as most of the ponds locally called `tobas` have dried up.

Though the water supply lines laidbytheCholistanDevelopmentAuthority (CDA) are supplying drinking to those living in the areas where the facility is available, many others have to shift to places where they and their livestock herds comprising camels, cows, sheep and goats could get water and fodder in the form of shrubs and bushes.

CDA Managing Director Waseam Anwar Khan talking to Dawn admitted the shortage of water and fodder in the desert areas because of the prolonged dry spell, he insisted the situation could not be described as serious.

He claimed the CDA`s four water supply lines were operative, catering to the drinkingwater needs of `a majority of Cholistanis` and their livestock herds in the areas in their reach.

He said during the previous dry spell some 50 per cent of the `tobas` had gone dry but this year the spell was severe causing about 60pc of `tobas` to go dry.

Regarding the shifting of the human population, the MD said it was a permanent feature of the desert area as the residents preferred to move, with their livestock, to the places where drinking water and fodder was available.

In addition, Mr Khan said the CDA`s four water tanker with a capacity of 5,000 gallons each, were always ready to deliverwater to the people of Cholistan.

Regarding the summary in connection with the cancellation of allotment of free-of-cost land to the locals under the Punjab chief minister`s package, he forwarded recently to the Punjab Board of Revenue (BoR), the managing director said he recommended fresh scrutiny of all the 54,000 applications.

According to him, he observed serious discrepancies in the scrutiny carried out during the previous years, adding it was an injustice to the rejected applicants.

Citing an example of the `flawed` scrutiny, he said out of the two brothers who applied forthe free land, one was rejected, while the other was accepted.

Similarly, he said, a lambardar, whose CNIC did not bear Cholistan address, verified some 600 applications for the land.

He said in his summary, he proposed to the BoR to constitute seven scrutiny committees headed by respective assistant commissioner for each of the union council (UC).

He said the ACs should visit the spot for verification of the applicants.

The MD said if the BoR agreed to the summary, it would be forwarded to the chief minister for final approval.