KARACHI: The Sindh High Court was informed on Tuesday that people and livestock in the far-flung areas of the drought-hit Tharparkar district were still drinking toxic rainwater from shallow ponds, exposing themselves to different diseases.
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, was seized with the hearing of three identical petitions pertaining to the drought-hit people of the desert.
The assistant district and sessions judge, Mithi, in his report stated that the people of the affected areas were drinking stored toxic rainwater or salty water from the shallow ponds, locally called tarai , which was filled when there was enough rain. He said the consumption of stored toxic water was one of the major reasons for the outbreak of different diseases in the far-flung parts of the calamity-hit district.
The relief inspecting judge underlined the need for the installation of reverse osmosis water plants for the provision of potable water to the affected people.
He also informed the judges that 29 doctors/medical officers were posted in the district. He said that the health department appointed as many as 58 doctors but only 29 of them joined their duties.
He said the health secretary gave 15 days to the newly appointed doctors to join their duties which was quite ‘unjustified’ keeping in view the urgent need of health facilities in the drought-hit district.
The senior member of board of revenue and relief commissioner, Alamdin Bullo, and health secretary Iqbal Ahmed Durrani, appeared in court and filed their respective reports which were taken on record.
One of the petitions seeking measures to deal with the Tharparkar tragedy was filed by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and rights campaigner Javed Iqbal Burki, who impleaded the secretary of the establishment division, the ministry of national food security and research, interior minister, director general of the Federal Investigating Agency, chief secretary, local government secretary, provincial revenue and relief secretary, health secretary, national regulations and services secretary as well as the federal and provincial chiefs of the National Disaster Management Authority as respondents.
Other petitions were filed by the Sindh High Court Bar Association and Rana Faizul Hasan, a civil rights campaigner and secretary general of the United Human Rights of Pakistan.
Piler, represented by Advocates Faisal Siddiqui and Mohammad Vawda, submitted that more than 200 people, including women and children, died in Tharparkar as a direct result of, inter-alia, famine, malnutrition, disease and criminal negligence of the respondents.
Through the petition, they sought justice and enforcement of fundamental rights and the law, for the victims, the survivors and their families, and directions from the high court to deal with the Tharparkar tragedy and to avoid such tragedies in the future.
It was submitted that most areas of Tharparkar district, including Tehsil/Taluka Mithi, Chachro, Diplo, Islamkot, Nagarparkar and Khinsar, were facing a famine-like situation and more than 200 people, a majority of whom were reported to be malnourished children, died.
Over 175,000 families were reported to have been affected, the court was informed.
The hearing was adjourned to April 11.