Mr Liaqat Ali Baloch, the Acting Deputy Commissioner of Tharparkar district, on Wednesday said that the desert region has been blessed with the erratic but sufficient rainfalls due to which there was more than enough fodder for the livestock, the mainstay of the economy of Tharis.
Mr Baloch, sharing the details of the rainfalls of all seven talukas of the region, stated that all seven talukas of the district received more than average rains, and they were hoping for a good yield of the crops and enough fodder for the animals. He said that the rain-dependent arid zone of Thar was facing drought-like conditions due to erratic showers, but the heavy downpours in the month of September brought great relief for the desert dwellers, for their livestock. “The prayers of the people for the required rainfalls have been answered, and they are all set to have enough fodder and a good yield of their traditional crops,” he said.
Mr Baloch said that the hilly area of Parkar so far received a little over five hundred millimetres of rain, followed by Diplo, Mithi, Islamkot and Kaloi talukas, which were also blessed with bounteous showers, producing enough grass for over 80 million livestock and helping Tharis cultivate a good yield of their traditional crops.
Mr Baloch added that with a whopping amount of heavy downpours from June, with the fresh spell during the first week of October, the rains had proved very bountiful for Nagarparkar, where over 50 small dams had enough water for irrigation purposes in the coming season. Mr Baloch hoped that people of the Parkar region, besides having a good crop yield during the ongoing harvesting of their crops, would cultivate more crops by getting water from the small dams. He termed the construction of small dams by the Government of Sindh as bringing about a great revolution in the agriculture sector, which was once only dependent on seasonal rains. He said that grazing lands, which were brought illegally under crop cultivation, were retrieved, and cases were registered against the greedy elements on the instruction of Mr Adil Memon, the SSP of Tharparkar.
Liaqat Ali Baloch said that he had instructed the assistant commissioners of all seven talukas to ensure that the growers and farmers could get adequate prices for their agricultural products from the traders. “It is our prime duty to ensure that farmers can get fair prices for their products from local traders,” he vowed.
The Acting DC said that officials of the livestock department had already conducted a massive vaccination drive so that animals could be vaccinated against any outbreak of any infection due to the changing weather in the desert district. “The various picnic points, including the hilltops of the famous Karoonjhar Hills, have been visited by several thousands of tourists both from Pakistan and from other countries after the region turned lush green soon after it was blessed with enough showers this year,” he pointed out. He said that increasing tourism in the desert region was boosting local trade and Tharis were earning enough by selling their locally produced mushrooms, melons, watermelons, and other food items to visitors. Mr Baloch said that there was ideal weather in the region in the wake of the current spell of rains, which, according to him, added new life to the crops and other vegetation. He invited the people from different areas of the country to visit Thar to see its natural beauty, historical and religious sites, and rich culture of the land, which is also known for the exemplary communal harmony and peaceful atmosphere.