| Forecast of rains, stormy winds perturbs fishermen |
| Thursday, 12 June 2008 | |
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Fear intensified among residents of coastal localities as the Met office forecast more rain and stormy winds for the next 24-hours, predicting it may hit the coastal population again. Boats were anchored at the seashore and fishermen were awaiting news to resume their livelihood activities. However, uncertainty dominates the community people in the coastal zone. The Sindh government had earlier announced relief for the fishermen for the month of June this year. But, since the unusual high tides hit the low-lying coastal localities hard, fear persists and fishermen are seen reluctant to join their livelihood activities. Hussain, a fisherman said usually they are without a job for three months every year from June to August owning to rough sea waves, and forecast of developing high tides, expected storms and cyclones under the seawater. This year despite announcement of relief for one month (out of two-month official ban) we cannot enjoy it and have been at homes, living under fear. When The News visited Dabla, the locality which was affected by the recent strange high tides, the dwellers were busy to build up small embankments to make their own makeshift homes safe. The sea water still exists in the locality and women were preparing meal in open kitchens, located at upper sides under the scorching heat. Males were repairing their fishing nets in their makeshift abodes to beat the time. Dabla was declared to be built a ‘model village’ and Rs60 million have been announced for the scheme. However, the recent unusual waves inundated the locality by washing away the small sea wall. Local activists said the village people are being victimised politically. Bin Qasim Town’s former Town Nazim, Umar Jatt had launched the project of building a sea wall to keep the locality safe from high tides. But when the new town Nazim took over the charge he discarded the project, which is why the recent unusual high tides forced the people to live out of their homes for three days. Moreover, they said it is pitiful that the town municipal officer had sent eight cooked pots of ‘biryani’ for 300 families of the locality on the second day, which was insufficient. Since then they haven’t received any food or relief. Obviously there was no loss of life or property reported but the unusual waves are fearful as it forced the dwellers of many localities to flee from their homes towards safer places. It was observed that the women were the most vulnerable to these disasters. When the high tides hit the locality they stayed at inundated homes and left the site when the males returned. When the dwellers of affected locality returned homes after second day they found everything, including fuel wood humid. They failed to cook meal at their homes. Hussain Lakhio, an old villager said the residents are very much conscious of these happenings. They have built kitchens above ground and have made special wooden stages for sleeping to keep themselves safe from emergencies, such as the one they have faced recently. Mubarak Dablo, a young fish worker said when high tides hit the locality they remained hungry for two days and nobody came for their rescue. Furthermore, when The News visited the tent camp established by Bin Qasim Town in the affected locality, it was deserted. Nobody from the town staff was there. No food and other items were witnessed at the camp. The community people are facing acute shortage of water as there is no way available for the private tankers to enter. Now the women purchase a small container for rupees five each from neighbourhood for domestic use. Neither the Fisheries Minister nor any other official from the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) and other government organisations have come to witness the situation and extend any help to the affected community. While the town administration on the first day started repair work to complete the broken sea wall around the locality but the work has been stopped without any reason. This careless attitude of the government functionaries have left the people vulnerable to these catastrophic losses. |
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