Thar's water woes

THARPARKER: Access to water has become a source of concern for the residents of Chachro and Dahli - tehseels of Tharparker - forcing them to travel to far distant areas as the water scarcity has further intensified.

Water is a prime issue for the residents of entire Thar but for the people of Dahli and Chachro, particularly the women living in its villages, it appears that water is a matter of life and death for them.

Every single person is seen busy in getting maximum water for their families from the start of the day. During the exercise people take their livestock’s with them to the water source.

The local people say that the absence of RO plants and water projects in the reason behind the acute water shortage. 

The latest fatalities have taken the November death toll in Tharparker to 14, and 490 in this year. The deaths reported by the local health department have said to be caused by malnutrition and other diseases in the area.

According to the health department, every year 1,500 children die due to malnutrition, infections and lack of proper medical facilities in the remote region.

A report released by the United Nation’s Children Fund in April stated that Pakistan is among countries with the highest infant mortality rates, with 22 infants dying before turning one month old.