Stealing relief goods

Shifting food bags in godowns begets public outrage

If the flood was not enough to devastate people, scenes of influential people in villages stealing relief goods broke the heart of every citizen.

The incident has drawn condemnation from people belonging to different segments of society and called into question the transparency of the district administration that claims to deal with the situation vigilantly.

In the Mirpur Bathoro Town of Sujawal District, a video clip of relief goods transported from the revenue office to an unknown place in a clandestine manner sent shock waves among the locals.

The video shows the shifting of bags of goods and flour, to be distributed among the flood-affected people of Sujawal district, to a godown owned by an influential political figure in the area.

Noman Shoro Taluka, President of Jiye Sindh Mahaz, accused the representatives of the ruling party of taking advantage of the adversity and usurping the rights of displaced people of the Sujawal district. Noman vowed to continue agitation against the looters till the case is registered.

A key leader of the Sindh Taraqi Pasand (STP) party, Abdul Ghani Malah, called the incident a ‘pitiless move’ of corrupt elements. “This was an attempt to deprive people of their rights,” he said. He said the people are now aware of the tactics used by the local waderas. Abdul Hafeez Kumbhar of STP lashed out at the government, alleging that the disaster had provided them with an opportunity to mint money by applying cuts at the protective embankments.

When this reporter approached the concerned authorities for comments, they refused to give so. The civil society urged the magistrate to launch a probe into the matter.

Around 20 more villages of the Thatta district got inundated after a wide breach developed in the riverine area of Taluka Ghorabari. After inundating over a dozen villages, the water continued to exert pressure on RBOD and other linked embankments of the district. Villages like Sher Muhammad Brohi, Allah Bux Malah, Haji Raees and others submerged in water.

The affected villagers said that in 2010 and 2015, the water topped LBOD dykes and they feared the same situation would occur again. On the other hand, Chief Engineer Kotri Barrage Haji Khan Jammali said the currents of water would flow for three to five days in Kotri downstream after which the situation could return to normalcy.