Rising from the Waters: Sindh Navigates Recovery after the 2022 Floods

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2024-10-31T09:06:17+05:00 Zaheer Malik

K A N D H KOT  -  Government of Sindh has rebuilt as many as 4,280 houses were destroyed in Kashmore during 2022 flood and heavy rain besides 9,792 houses are under construction in different parts of the district under non-profit company SPHF. The country had recorded the highest number of damages, as per figures presented by government, over 4.8 lacs houses were partially damaged and 16,796 were fully damaged. As per details, 739 people were killed almost 13000 people were injured while families lost loved ones, houses and livelihoods. However more than 33 million people were impacted, 90 district hit and estimated 08 million people were displaced as per government reports.The flood affected a large area of the country included SINDH, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber pakhtonkhawa. As per government survey there were 110,786 houses in district Badin, 156,210 in district Dadu, 82,746 in district Ghotki, 19,556 in district Hyderabad, 109,700 in district Jacobabad, 55,401 in district Jamshoro, 73,957 in district Kashmore 243,870 in district Khairpur, 131,806 in district Larkana, 52 in district Malir (Karachi), 45,879 in district Matiari, 85,673 in district Mirpurkhas, 134,960 in district Naushahro Feroze, 137,126 in district Qambar Shahdadkot, 104,830 in district Sanghar and 113,590 in district Shaheed Benazirabad, 89,791 houses in district Shikarpur, 52,097 in district Sujawal, 81,035 in district Sukkur, 29,971 in district Tando Allahyar, 28,456 in district Tando Muhammad Khan, 8,515 in district Tharparkar, 24,565 in district Thatta and 67,252 in district Umerkot were damaged during heavy flood 2022. The heavy rains between June to September 2022 that submerged one - third of country while affected 33 millions.

As per various reports, sindh province was also among the hardest- hit areas of the country where more than 700 casualties were reported as well as injuring of 8200 people, while death of 0.4 livestock, 0.9 houses were damaged although 0.3 people were homeless while migrated to elsewhere and more than 1.4 million acres of land were fully ruined whereas 65 percent of the roads were damaged. 3,87000 houses while 30000 different  villages were submerged. Umar kot, Sanghar, Kashmore, shikarpur, ghotki, jacobabad, Jaam shoro ,Shaheed Banazir Abad larkana were the affected areas of the SINDH. After rescue and relief operation the government of Sindh had announced to launch a survey for assessing the damage of houses with the support of District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and formed various committees for visit door to door and cost the value of damages in the affected areas. As per report issued by government of sindh there were total number damaged houses were 1.7 across sindh, while for it’s rebuilding and reconstruction of the houses they had been required 160 billions, although government of sindh established non profit organization Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) to implement Sindh flood emergency housing reconstruction project with financially support of World Bank, since World Bank has also committed to providing Rs 110 billions for the mega reconstruction project.

Last year Sindh government started it’s construction in various parts of the province with the support of various NGOs such as HANDS, SRSO,NRSP,THAR DEEP and others. Rebuilding the houses, the government handed over three lacs to each affectee while the payment was made in four installments. Since first installment of Rs75,000 is released as work on setting the plinth level begins and the location is initially inspected. Once the plinth has been built its quality is inspected and construction work is verified then the second installment, of Rs100,000, is released to build the walls up to the roof level atop the plinth. After inspecting the construction progress, a third installment of Rs.100,000 will follow to complete the house, including roofing and securing the upper structure with overhangs and drainpipes on the roof. The construction is again inspected to check for adherence to guidelines, and a fourth and final installment of Rs25,000 is released. However the Kashmore district is also most flood affected area of the province since there are total number of 76278 damaged houses in which 23236 from Tangwani taulka, 36122 Kashmore tualka and 16920 kandhkot. According to HANDS reports, 14072 houses were approved by sindh government to till date,  Plinth level of 9267 was completed, 6985 Lintel level while 4280 was completed at roof level as well as 9792 are in under construction. It is pertinent to add here that Pakistan is the one of the most flood affected country in the world, since country witnessed 28 super riverine flood in it’s 78 years, although it was recorded first super flood in 1950 followed by 1955, 1956,1957,1959,1973,1975,1976,1977,1978,1981,1983,1984,1988,1992,1994,1995 and 2010 was the wrost flood in the history of the country which destroyed the entire infrastructure of the country. On other hands Kashmore district is considered as a tribal and bordering area of sindh punjab and sindh balochistan since the district Kashmore have been facing a deteriorating law and order especially murderers, repeated kidnapping cases, robberies, thefts and snatchings have been on rise while no one is safe in city it look like the district has been handed over to the criminals and goons, in this worsen situation it was very difficult to face the various challenges especially validation as well as reconstruction of the damaged houses at flood hit areas of both katcha and paka mainly by a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) like HANDS, no doubt that it was tireless efforts of HANDS district Kashmore @ kandh kot particularly District Executive Manager Veer bhan Talreja, District Project Manager Aftab Ahmed Soomro, team leaders and workers/Engineers/SOs those who faced many hardships, various issues with bravery in both riverine and paka areas of the district.

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