DERA GHAZI KHAN City News

No rain in DG Khan western belt

Drought-like conditions forcing people to migrate

From Hasnain Qaisrani

DERA GHAZI KHAN: Drought-like conditions are forcing the people residing in western belt of Dera Ghazi Khan division to migrate in search of greener pastures.

The agriculture experts said that absence of rains during the last couple of months had created the water issue in the area. They said that the agri lands and grazing areas had been turned into deserted areas following which the people had started migration along with their livestock.

Due to the prevailing circumstances, the production of different crops had shrunk while it was very hard to mitigate its effect till the time the whole western belt got a rainy spell, they added.

They said that the 300km area starting from the KP frontiers and ending with the Sindh borders in South was facing severe shortage of water for agriculture purpose and human consumption.

Different tribes, including Mazari, Gourchani, Dareshak Leghari, Khosa, Buzdar and Qaisrani, have been settled in the area since years with profession of agriculture as their sole source of income.

Yousaf Jiani, who belongs to Khosa tribe and settled in the foothills of Suleman Ranges, said that the area did not receive rain since the 2015 summer. He said that the rainwater was the only source for the farming while some landlords, who had installed the turbines, were now facing severe power crisis. He said that the underground water level was much deep, which normally started from the depth of 300 feet but it needed high power turbine system to generate and suck water which was beyond the reach of local tribesmen. He said that most of the area lacked electrification, besides there were no farm-to-market roads.

Allah Ditta Hamlani, who belongs to Birot Mandwani, said that the tube-wells owners were selling water for agri purpose at the rate of Rs 1,000 per hour which was very costly. He said that it also increased the cost of production. He said that a massive migration was under way in search of food and water with preferences for shifting to the command area of Chashma Right Bank Canal in Taunsa Sharif tehsil and in the command area of DG Khan Canal in DG Khan tehsil.

The tribesmen said that during the rainy spell long embankments and supports were made by them to divert the hill torrents to the fields and the beds but this time the structures were awaiting rains. They were of the view that solid planning by the government could settle the issue on permanent basis.