Daily Times

Sir: Tharparkar is spread over 22,000 square kilometres, having a population of about 1.5 million people. On an average, every third year is a drought year. Besides, it faces famine at least once every decade.

More than 80 percent of the people’s livelihood is dependent on rain-fed agriculture and livestock. In fact, livestock, fully or partially, contributes to the economy of every household in the district.

Scarcely five per cent of the population has access to water supply. Most of the population relies on wells. The water that is available is brackish. It has dangerously high levels of fluorides, as high as 32 mg/l.

The World Health Organisation safety guideline value for fluorides in drinking water is 1.5 mg/l. The availability of safe water for the people of Thar has always remained a distant dream.

The main district headquarters hospital has only one male doctor, who is a child specialist, and only one gynaecologist. There is no surgeon in any government medical facility

The government needs to take immediate remedial measures such as desalination plants, solar water pumps, ambulance services, livestock fodder and medicines.

Ali Nawaz Rahimoo

Umerkot