KARACHI - After three days of tension and uncertainty due to fear of high tides, followed by tropical cyclone developed in the Gulf region, people on coastal areas were seen taking sigh of relief.
However, stagnant water in the villages, acute shortage of drinking water and food in the entire coastal region from Karachi to Thatta, Sujawal and Badin have put the people vulnerable to face uncertainty for the next few days.
The people in Karachi coastal areas are struggling to move back to their localities but since there is stagnant water, which have inundated their shelters, many of them are still out and waiting for help.
Information collected on Sunday from Shah Bunder, Jati and Keti Bunder by rescue teams revealed that the situation was quite devastating, as the families were out of food and short of potable water. Minors and elders were being affected the most, the rescue sources said.
Despite hue and cry, officers of the district administration paid empty visits and assured the people for help, but did nothing. Their ignorance has left them devastated with hunger and displacement. Hundreds of families either are onboard their fishing vessels or staying at their shelters rooftop without water and food. Especially those, residing at remote island villages, are facing problems due to the perturbed access to reach the beaches to buy eatables. The roads in Shah Bunder, Kharo Chhhan and Jati have also been disconnected due to high tides.
It was the common cry in the entire Sindh coastal areas that the low lying localities have been inundated and the families are marooned there. They have not received any relief goods, ration and medicine.
The elders were looking enraged crying against such ignorance, saying they were not even being provided potable water to drink. Their children are compelled to use stagnant sea water to quench their thirst.
Mustafa Gurgaiz of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), while mobilising resources, said that the pressure of high tides in the sea was still persisting, forcing people to stay alert. Quoting community elders, he said that the seven-day full moon season would be weakened until Monday morning.
On a question about the appeals for relief, Gurgaiz said that the district administration had provided cooked food and potable water in the coastal areas, including Bin Qasim Town. “Apart from this, fearing any health problem due to stagnant water and pollution, we have also mobilised medical camps with the support of local people to provide medicines to the affected people,” he added.
Several women and children who complained of the skin problems were provided with medicines and guidance to avert any outbreak.
PFF Chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah said that it was a colossal loss and the people were paying the price of the ignorance at the hands of government. All the jetties and protection walls along the coastal localities had been affected badly, he revealed. “Now the people cannot get any support from the government authorities, elected legislators and philanthropists, except a few, who extended helping hand to help the people in Karachi coastal areas,” he added.