Hashim Abro has drawn a very accurate picture of the plight of the poor people of Sindh. The solution is staring us right in the face but we are paying no attention to it. Agriculture provides livelihood directly to 70 percent of the rural population and employs 48 percent of the total labour force. There is negative growth in agriculture because of shortage of water. Food inflation is rampant, 12 of the 18 crore people are being forced to spend all their income on food, pushing more people below the poverty line, 8 crore today compared to 5 crore in 2008, 11 crore people have been forced to cut down on their intake of food, two meals instead of three, or even less.
All we hear is Thar coal, gas from Iran, electricity from India, solar and wind power but nary a mention of hydel power which alone will also give us water. 20 million acre remain to be irrigated, most of them in Sindh. Building dams is the only sensible option to boost agriculture in the shortest time to alleviate the plight of the poor people not only in Sindh but over the whole country. The poor people are paying a very heavy price for our penchant for playing politics with national issues.
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
