DADU: Population of more than 500,000 of three sub-divisions of Dadu district including Khairpur Nathan Shah, Mehar and Johi in desert area belt ‘kachho’ having 20 Union Councils has been deprived of basic facilities of water, road, electricity and gas supply, health and education facilities since long. Dwellers of kachho area staying in hilly area remained without water, health, education and other basic facilities. Villagers Sahwar and Akthar Mallah told that people of kachho belt were deprived of clean drinking water. Explaining their ordeals they have disclosed that in union council Shawr people were using dirty stagnant water of pools. Due to which children, elderly men and women were infected with stomach diseases. They lamented that there was no any humanitarian help from Sindh government or any of social welfare body for them and consequently most of the families have been compelled to migrate from kachho area. Piral Baber, a local journalist of Johi Town said that 70 percent of population has been using brackish water not fit for human consumption by any mean. He informed that area people were compelled to buy 15-litre water container for Rs 30. Sindh Abadgar Board President, Muhammad Aamir Jamali has alleged that political influential have cut water flow of Hamal Lake and Saim Nala in Dadu district sub-division of Johi and Mehar which has badly affected crops. He said that influential persons have also cut down Chinni Minor irrigation main branch of Johi Town, appears from Johi Canal and in result 8 irrigation channels have stopped releasing water including Pateo Shakh, Pahore Shakh, Lakhara Shakh, Nonari Shakh, Chinni Shakh, Channi and Dara Shakh. This stoppage was peril to paddy and wheat crop. Due to this, kachho growers would be badly affected financially. Despite several complaints to CM Sindh, cosmetic action has been taken against water thieves but for political interference and water stolen practices, no action had been taken to save tail-end kachho area growers. He demanded operation by Sindh Rangers against water thieves in order to rehabilitate growers to irrigate thousands acres of barren land. Despite setting up of Oil and Gas Company in Johi Town dessert area but kachho residents were being deprived of their basic rights. Oil and Gas Company officers and elected PPP representatives have been appointed but people of the area were still deprived of any kind of company’s benefit. Published in Daily Times, October 17th 2017.