Rapid Assessment Of Disastrous Rains and flood effect District Qamber-Shahdadkot, Sindh Prepared By: Pirbhat Women Development Society Shahdadkot Sindh. 1 1. Background The rains have brought great disasters in Sindh and Balochitan provinces of Pakistan. Similarly such disaster has also occurred in District Qamber Shahdadkot of Sindh. This is not first time that the areas of this part of country are flooded but these floods also came in Shahdadkot and Qubo Saeed Khan areas in 1840, 1856, 1874, 1942, 1948, 1976 and 1994. In that time whole the areas were in the attack of Indus River and Mountain torrents water. At present once again the western parts of Shahdadkot and Qubo Saeed Khan are under the attack of a Great Flood. The flood water of Bolan River and Mulla River has spread in the plains of Kachhi and Nari Areas. These are the major rivers of Balochistan that can damage and destroy a large number of Human Habitations, Agriculture and Live stock with Villages and Towns of various sizes. 7 other Hill Torrents like Harahan, Buz, Alkah, Mardan, Narani, Durb and Khenji Nais have brought an immense destruction in Both Shahdadkot and Qubo Saeed Khan Talukas. The water is found around Jhal Magsi Gandawah, Kot Magsi and Bagh Head and its flow crossing towards Qubo Saeed Khan, Sahahdadkot, Wareh and Qamber tehsils of the district (the list of affected villages is given below). The people have migrated on large scale from their homes to secure places like city of Shahdadkot, Qamber, Mirokhan, Gharikhero, Rato dero, Sijawal and all over in Sindh. The overview of population according to Government is given in the table, whereas the total population is more the given numbers; Table: 2.1 Population of Different Tehsils of Shahdadkot & Their Union Councils S# Tehsil Population Union Councils 1 Shahdadkot 125,963 Shahdadkot -1, Shahdadkot-2, Shahdakot-3,Silra, Aitbar Khan Chandio, Jamali 2 Qubo Saeed Khan 64,071 Nazarwah, Qubo Saeed Khan, Bago Daro 3 Sujawal 61,263 Sujawal, Dhingano Mahesar, Thoof Chosool, Mastoi 4 Kambar 245,727 Jian Abro, Ranwati, Boohar, Gaibi Dero, Dost Ali, Kalar, Kambar-1, Kambar-2, Kambar-3 5 Warah 148,449 Warah, Gaji Khuhawar, Mipur, Wagan, Lalu Raunk, Khandoo, Abad 6 Miro Khan 77,801 Miro Khan, Bahram, Karira, Khabar, 7 Naseerabad 113,779 Naseerabad, Muradi, Lakha, Miandad Ghani, Dera, Khairpur Juso Source: Sindh Local Government Department Website [ www.lgdsindh.com.pk] 2 2. Status of Physical Assets Land is the key physical asset in the area. However, landownership is very uneven in the area. Majority of land is owned by a small number of big landlords and jagirdars. There are traditional land owners who have the ownership of the vast tracts of land which they have been inherited from their ancestors. Their ancestors received these lands as jagirs from the British Rulers while showing their allegiance to them. Table: 2.2 Share of Input by the Growers & Landlords in the Area S# Input Landowners Share Peasants Share 1 Plough - 100% 2 Seed - 100% 3 Fertilizer 50% 50% 4 Pesticides 50% 50% 5 Thresher 50% 50% 6 Interest on the Credit [ for Inputs] - 100% 7 Cultivation - 100% 8 Harvesting - 100% 9 Land Preparation - 100% 10 Produce Distribution 50% 50% 11 Land & Water Tax 100% - Source: Focus Group Discussions, Community /Informant Interviews About 40 percent families own their small and big patches of land while 60 percent families depend on the share cropping system of agriculture. On the average majority of the land owners have 10-15 acres of land while the land ownership of the big land owners ranges from 100 to 1000 acres. The small landowners in the case of availability of water and other inputs cultivate all the land while the big landowners usually do not indulge in the self cultivation of the lands. They usually give their lands to the peasants on the basis of share cropping. 2.1 Key Livelihoods of the Area Agriculture is the key livelihood of the area. Like other areas of Sindh there are two key agriculture crop seasons i.e. Kharif and Rabi in the area. Paddy is the key Kharif crop while wheat is the main Rabi Crop. Rain-fed agriculture is mainly practiced in Katchho during Rabi after the rains in Kharif season. Rice is basically the crop of Indus River Command area [Dhori Minor while wheat was mainly cultivated in Katchho area being irrigated by both Khirthar Range rains and through the flows of Rabi Minor. 3 Table: 2.3 Seasonal Calendar of the Area Activity/ Activity/ Events January February March April May June July August Septembe October Novembe December Rains Land Preparation of Wheat Crop Sowing of Wheat Harvesting of Wheat Crop Land Preparation for Paddy Crop Cultivation of Paddy seedlings Transplanting of Paddy crops Harvesting of Paddy Crop Land Preparation for Sesame Crop Sowing of Sesame Crop Harvesting of Sesame Crop Sell of Livestock Daily Wage Labor Agriculture Labor Source: Prepared while using PRA tool of Participatory Preparation of Seasonal Calendar Besides agriculture rearing livestock is also one of the key livelihood sources for the local communities. Buffaloes, cows, sheep and goats are usually kept by people. Sheep, goats and cows are mostly used for milking purposes. Buffaloes are used to plough fields and run carts. People also keep donkeys that are used for transportation and fetching carts. 3. Hazards Affecting the Communities Heavy rains started in Sindh from Sunday June 24, 2007. However, the intensity and the scale of those rains was high in the district of Qamber-Shahdadkot. Since last six days Table: 2.4 Different Events which Affected the Local Communities during Different Years Year Event Community Response 1959 Floods Temporary migration 1975 Floods Temporary migration 1976 Heavy Floods Temporary migration 1978 Heavy Floods Temporary migration 1986 Floods Temporary migration 1995 Heavy Floods Temporary migration 1999-2000 Hairdin Drain Migration due to the reduction in the incomes, increased wager labor, low Effluent food intake, sale of livestock, sale of cattle including blocks, cows and buffaloes, postponing the treatment of family patients, irrigating previously rain-fed high lands with Hairdin Drain effluent 1999-2006 Reduction in Change in cropping pattern by reducing paddy crop cultivation, permanent Irrigation as well as seasonal migration, sending youth for seasonal labor, low food water in Dhori intake, suspending education of the children and suspending the medical Minor treatment of the family patients Source: Focus Group Discussions and Informant Interviews 4 there is no let up in the rains especially in the three tehsils of Qamber-Shahdadkot, which has badly affected the lives and the livelihoods of the vulnerable communities of district but these ravaging rains had disastrous impact on the vulnerable community of the area. Due to large-scale depletion of livelihood resources of the communities, they are compelled to live poverty stricken conditions. So, due to dearth of livelihood resources in the communities it is the innocent children and women of these communities who are suffering from malnourishment and ultimately from many food and water borne curable diseases. Currently quick response was given by local people and NGOs and local government. During the visit by a Pirbhat and NDS team in Disaster area and adjacent areas of Taluka Qubo Saeed Khan, the people informed that hundreds of homeless people of the area are living at roads and the Banks of watercourses. The houses, Schools and Mosques have been collapsed and the people are living under the open sky. The people are horribly/ badly affected in diseases through drinking flood contamination water, uncleanness in camps, unhygienic conditions of food and survival. At present the community is confronting with diaherra, vomiting, fever and other curable diseases, and there are also reports that some children have developed jaundice due to drinking contaminated water. The degree of the damage of floods is expected by Government is. Hazard around 500 villages destroyed in which, houses fully destroyed, livestock in large number, total crops have been lost (according to Government approximate figure has given below), devastate of storage wheat in a heavy amount, Area Damage Agricultu Calculated Season in %age ral Land profit loss the crop devastate Qubo Seed Khan 95% 53,14,95 35,433 PKR- Shahdadkot 40% (Mound) Acers 23,91,72,750 Miro khan 50% Rice Qamber 45% Source: Government of agricultural department 3.1 Livelihood Resource Losses affect on the Community The affected villagers have received severe loss to the livelihood resources. The poor communities are the worst sufferer, the community survival is mostly on the agricultural but due to the disastrous rains there crops are distorted. Besides the community marooned in their villages after rains and floods are still frightened after the prediction of more rains in the region. This all affected on the already malnourished community who are already 5 having shortage to due food which has been resulted in the weakness of them and indirectly an invitation of many diseases. Therefore, being malnourished, in flood and ravaging rain conditions, they are developed more fatal health problems, which lead to a large number to death. 4. Security Issues in Camps People especially women and children are getting harassed by unknown people in camps As a result of the migration of a large number of communities including men, women and children from flooded effected villages to camps in cities. Different families are staying together under one shelter or roads WOMEN IN CAMPS ARE URGING FOR SECURITY ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND AT NOONTIME. During survey it has been observed that the grant is not properly utilized due to individuals’ benefits. There is urgent need to monitor/ look after various sectors e.g.