They march for water

We hear of ‘long marches’ periodically on our political scene. In most cases these marches have meant a drive from Lahore to Islamabad or a train ride along the same route, with members of political parties collecting people in buses and trucks to take them along. But a very different kind of march was seen a few days back from the village of Kharo Chan to Thatta. The farmers who took part in this march on foot, braving heat that soared to the 50 degree centigrade mark, marched on their own initiative. No political group arranged for them to walk along the scorching track or provided any kind of incentive. Their march, which took five days, was born from their desperation. Along the way, the small group of farmers who had begun the walk were joined by people from towns and villages that they passed through. The number had risen to at least several hundred by the time they reached Thatta. It took a remarkable amount of courage to complete the walk but then the problem is a massive one despite the lack of reporting in the mainstream media.

There is a severe shortage of sweet water in the Thatta and Badin districts, mainly because water flowing into the Indus delta has flowed to such a point that the sea has begun to intrude the river bed and surrounding lands. Already 2.5 million acres of land have been lost to the sea in the two districts. This is a major catastrophe for farmers and all residents of an area once known for its agriculture and livestock farming. Experts warn that by 2050 the town of Thatta itself could disappear under the sea. Political angles have been attributed to the lack of water flowing into the delta. But these are somewhat beside the point. There needs to be consensus on stopping the destruction and saving the people who have said they will stage further marches and sit-ins. It is understood the Sindh irrigation minister and the chief minister of the province have established contacts with them. But we hope this means real change and not mere words.

The disaster taking place has been aggravated by the fact that farmers have been cutting mangrove forests to meet their needs. The damage to these forests means the sea can intrude even more easily and the eco system will suffer further harm. Because the farmers of Thatta are essentially poor and thus without influence their worsening plight has been ignored for years. We are told some 24 Talukas have already been taken away by the sea. The situation needs to be treated as an emergency and the districts of Thatta and Badin saved before the people who live there are forced to resort to desperate means.