cities.
Despite tall claims by the Sindh government, not a single relief camp is working in the flood-hit areas to attract displaced families and their animals.
Hundreds of people, who came out on their own or were rescued after inundation, are staying helplessly at roadsides, railway tracks and embankments without proper shelter and food stuff.
At least 1.5 million people are reported to have been affected in the catchment area in 14 districts, which are close to the river Indus.
The majority of these affected people have come from low-income communities, landless farmers and shepherds, residing in the forest areas.
Some reports have revealed that the local flood affectees are being supported by philanthropists, who are providing them with cooked food and ration. However, there is no fodder available for the livestock, which may be a huge loss if government doesn’t realize it sooner.
There is no exact figure of animal population in the flood-hit catchment area, but Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) claims to have rescued a total of 647,704 animals, including small and big animals, from the entire catchment area spreading over 2.2 million acres of land.
PDMA has further revealed that a total of 907,941 people have been saved from the inundated areas.
Total relief camps established in the areas are around 306,061, as per PDMA claim, but as this scribe visited, hardly a few people could be seen brought to the camps. They were crying for food, ration and potable water.
Similar to the loss of animals, hari activists are crying for crop cost burden. They said sharecroppers (peasants) have to pay all the costs from plough, land levelling, purchasing seed, fertilizer and labour for cultivation of crop. While, landlord is considered as a silent partner, who grabs major chunk of the value of product after harvesting.
Zulfiqar Shah, joint director Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), whose organization is advocating the peasants’ rights, has blamed the government, saying, “Flood is a frequent phenomenon, but the poor people end up paying the price.”
Aly Ercelan, a renowned economist has suggested the government to give permanent shelter to the poor people, who live behind river embankments. This method, as per his opinion, “will require redistribution of land,” and it will improve agricultural productivity and ecological responsibility.