Speakers at a conference stressed here on Wednesday the need to take on board local people before launching any mega projects in their areas. They were of the views that often projects initiated without socio-economic studies, brought miseries to the people. They said that recent floods brought havoc in various districts of Sindh including Badin, Sanghar, Mirpur Khas, Umerkot and Nawabshah. Executive Director Pakistan Development Initiatives (PDI) Sikander Brohi said that recent floods swept around 120 people and over 386,000 houses in Sindh. He said that at least 1.3 million people of district Badin were displaced due to the floods. He said obstructing the natural flow of hill torrent from Suleman Range, Chasma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) has exposed the people of D I Khan and D G Khan districts to floods. Similarly Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) caused massive flooding in Qambar Shahdadot and Dadu districts in 2010, he added.
Sikander Brohi said that Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) is also main reason for exacerbating floods in various districts of lower Sindh. Social Activist Amar Sindhu of the views that there is no proper forum where the affected people can raise their voice effectively. She said according to study conducted in 1954,the total fish production from Manchar Lake was 3000 tons per annum which now has reduced to only 100 tons per annum due to polluted water. Chairman Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum Muhammad Ali Shah said that million of people have migrated from delta due to construction of dams and diversion of rivers.
He said that Arabian Sea eroded 2200 acres land in Badin and Thatta districts in last five years. He said that the people have encroached natural nullahs and streams resulting massive destruction during floods. The conference was organized by PDI with the collaboration of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Action- Aid Pakistan.
