Tharparkar district in Sindh is the largest in the province by land. Unfortunately, it has the lowest Human Development Index in all of Sindh. The district which spreads over 19,638 sqm is known for its culture and religious harmony, with a little less than half of its population being Hindus.
In recent years, Thar has been in the headlines for the persistent drought conditions in the region. According to a 2016 report, Thar is also among the hottest areas in the country. “Thar Desert is the seventh largest desert in the world and its climate is not conducive for human beings,” stated the report.
Another report by the National Commission of Human Rights stated that year, two children died everyday in Tharparkar due to malnutrition related causes. Warning the government of the serious danger to the lives of people in Thar, especially children. In 2018, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was told over 500 children lost their lives in Thar that year. 450 children died in the region in 2017; 479 died in 2016 and 398 children lost their lives in 2015.
The Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) has held government in Thar since the 2008 elections. However, despite repeatedly being voted into power by the people of Thar, it seems the district is ignored by the provincial government.
Livestock farming is the biggest livelihood of the people of Thar, which has been affected by the drought-like conditions in the district. The people live below the poverty line and the region seems to be a picture of negligence. With the health conditions of the people worsening, the health facilities in the region are also not up to the standards required.
Thar has the seventh largest coal reserves in the world. Recently, the party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto inaugurated the Thar coal power plant. Calling it a “pride for all of Pakistan”, he said the entire country would benefit from the electricity generated by the plant. Talks of opening a university in Thar are also being heard.
In March, Prime Minister Imran Khan also introduced a health package for the people of Thar. Ensuring the provision of medical facilities for the people living there, the premier mentioned poverty alleviation as one of his goals. He announced 100 reverse osmosis plants will be set up in Thar to provide clean drinking water, and to provide electricity of the people by using solar power.
While these mega-projects are expected to uplift the district, the issue of the climatic conditions of Thar still persist and the government must take steps to provide the basic necessities to the people living there.
The major issues in Thar are lack of clean drinking water, lack of medical facilities and the environmental crises. While steps have been taken, the government must make a long-term commitment to the region to overcome the issues and help the region reach its potential.
Lack of clean drinking is one of the reasons for the outbreak of diseases in children leading to their deaths. Providing access to this should be one of the biggest agendas on the government’s list. The people living in Thar use groundwater, drawing it up from wells. However, according to WWF Pakistan, the groundwater in Thar has absorbed hazardous levels of fluoride from surrounding rocks. “9 percent of water in Tharparkar desert is brackish and high in total dissolved solids (TDS), and only 21 percent of Thar’s desert groundwater is suitable for human consumption”, states the research.
But even then, accessing groundwater is not easily. It requires large amounts of funds and manpower, which is rare in Thar. With River Indus in Thar’s nearby vicinity, fresh water can be transported to the villages and towns of the district. PM Imran’s announcement of reverse osmosis plants in the region may provide a long-term solution to the problem but the government must ensure the project is supervised and not fall prey to the corruption in the country.
Government hospitals in Thar lack proper facilities, doctors and medicines, leading to the death of women and infants. In November last year, the Sindh Health Department said dispensaries would be established in the area to combat diseases and provide healthcare services to the people. However, the provincial government needs to establish working hospitals, along with supervision to ensure the hospitals are functioning.
A report in Dawn in 2016 showed around 70 percent of government dispensaries in Thar region were either only partly functional or being operated without SNEs, which means they did not have a budget, staff or facilities, meaning they were mainly non-functional. The government must improve its planning of health infrastructure in the area or the people will continue to live without basic facilities.
The world is suffering from climate change and while Pakistan is one of the lowest in the list when it comes to contributing to global warming, it was ranked as seventh in a report that the countries that suffered the most from 1997 to 2016. In Pakistan, climate change is a conversation that is not part of daily discourse mainly because many believe there are bigger concerns for the government to deal with. Climate change has affected people in Thar along with their biggest source of livelihood – livestock. Diseases mean death of animals and lack of rain means there is no land for animals to graze. This has led to migration from the region because many cannot live in such conditions anymore. One thing that must be focused on in this region is the planting of drought-resistant trees in order to cope with the harsh climate of Thar. Pakistan, as a country, must also get serious about the effect climate change is having on its cities and villages.
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