Civil Society Flood Situation Report
Report -4, December 12, 2011
Delayed Dewatering and Its Consequences
Prepared and released by
Peoples Accountability Commission on Floods [PACF]
This Report
Peoples Accountability Commission on Floods (PACF) is going to issue the fourth report Civil Society Flood Situation Report on Delayed Dewatering and Its Consequences , generally in flood affected districts of Sindh particularly in eight districts as Umerkot, Nawabshah, Badin, TM Khan, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, and Sanghar, Tando Allahyar. Civil Society Flood Situation (CSFS) report covers the local community and civil society perspective on the response to the flood affected communities in the specified districts for further advocacy campaign. This report is issued and released by the PACF, by undergoing in affected areas and coordination mechanism is observed to validate the data. The PACF has already issued three reports on very practical themes which have been covered by Print Media with encouraging response.
Data Collection Methods and Tools
· Secondary data gathered from SUPARCO and NDMA
· Field Inputs through FGDs and Cluster Meetings at district level
· Provincial protection cluster meeting
Background of the Issue and level of importance:
Sindh as agrarian society surviving on the Indus River, at right and left bank with the forestry and fisheries along with the coastal areas. Heavy monsoon rains caused widespread damage to over a million acres of land, primary in the southern province of Sindh. As per report generated by PDMA on 7/10/2011 under mentioned districts were suffering critical water, where as agriculture, shelter, Livelihoods, physical infrastructure entirely damaged due to the water locked situation in the area.
Badin due to LBOD drain outlets has worst affected district in Sindh, with over 6000 villages under water. As Taluka Pangryo of District Badin is yet 75% under water due to controlled natural water outlets system by land lords of the area. Other calamity-hit areas include Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Tando Mohd khan, Tando Allahyar and Sanghar are also suffering dewatering phenomenon. There are thousands villages torrential rainfall has compounded them, cutting off villages and making them inaccessible to the government and relief workers.
In the specified districts out of the almost inundating 5 million acres of land including 1.7 million acres of agriculture land, resulting in the destruction of 80% of Cash crops and over 130 billion rupees in losses, 80% of banana, dates, chili, sugar cane and specially cotton crop (equivalent 2.3 million bales) have been destroyed.
Besides it, due to the watering of the land, under mentioned damages have caused damages on the flood affected community as under.
v 1.2 million Homes have been destroyed
v Victims have lost over 120,000 livestock due to disease
v Hundreds and thousands of poultry are at risk due to multiplication of waterborne diseases
v Fodder for the livestock have been washed away or produced less
v The Families dependent on the fish farming and livestock suffers due to non availability of mean of livelihood that can cause massive meat and food shortage and food insecurity.
v Shortage of potable water for Human being and Livestock
v Barrier to rehabilitation process
v Forced return from camps as relief support within the camp is not encouraging due to the lack of funds.
v Vulnerable as widow, old age, special peoples and economically chronic poor are suffering more.
The recent multi-sector cluster assessment shows that 40 percent of the flooded areas of Sindh are still under water. The assessment confirms high levels of food insecurity in the province,” the WFP said in its situation report. The report was released on Thursday.
The WFP said the situation heightened food insecurity in Sindh where rates of Global Acute Malnutrition were 17.3 percent even before the floods.
The WFP said the situation heightened food insecurity in Sindh where rates of Global Acute Malnutrition were 17.3 percent even before the floods.
In these districts, the level of groundwater is already higher than what is normal; therefore, it is likely that floodwater would take more time to drain, as was already estimated by the government authorities.
Current Summary of Losses/Damages due to rain/flood-2011 up to 10-12-2011
Houses damaged
|
Livelihood Damages (Acres)
| ||||||||
District
|
Talukas affected
|
UCs Affected
|
Villages Affected
|
Partially
|
Fully
|
Total
|
Area
|
Crops
|
Livstock
|
Badin
|
5
|
46
|
6395
|
172155
|
210407
|
382562
|
984805
|
375718
|
10060
|
Benazirabad
|
4
|
51
|
4104
|
U.S
|
U.S
|
200000
|
U.S
|
290000
|
22646
|
Mirpurkhas
|
6
|
41
|
3178
|
30627
|
87483
|
118110
|
819833
|
171522
|
12280
|
Sanghar
|
6
|
55
|
5182
|
88722
|
125206
|
213928
|
927201
|
356473
|
19040
|
Tando Allahyar
|
3
|
19
|
1609
|
64132
|
6031
|
70163
|
369685
|
81645
|
197
|
Tharparkar
|
4
|
44
|
2284
|
96896
|
81460
|
178356
|
51782
|
12647
|
30623
|
TM Khan
|
3
|
16
|
2835
|
47582
|
25353
|
72935
|
390997
|
78038
|
187
|
Umerkot
|
4
|
27
|
1691
|
23198
|
8966
|
32164
|
350428
|
108303
|
18824
|
Total
|
35
|
299
|
27278
|
523312
|
544906
|
1268218
|
3894731
|
1474346
|
113857
|
Summary of losses/damages due to rain in above mentioned districts 2011, Period Covered Oct-Dec 2011, Source: PDMA
| |||||||||
The above mentioned data covers the final assessed situation of losses & damages in specified districts up to 10th of the December 2011 and if the land is not dewatered it would result in multiplication of the vulnerability and hindrance to the rehabilitation process.
The underlying situation unfolds the dewatering situation up to 27th November 2011 generated by the SUPARKO through sate light images.
Address of Chief Minister of Sindh on dewatering to the Irrigation and other concerned departments on 10th of December. (Government Current Plan)
Chief Minister of Sindh addressed the concerned departments for evacuation of the Food water from District Umerkot, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar and Badin on priority basis by using every possible resource. As per Government plan water would be evacuated within 10 days as per briefing given by Irrigation secretary Mr. Khalid Hyder Memon. Mr Idris Rajput also claimed that now government has acquired huge number of the water pumping machines and efforts are being intensified to evacuate the water as soon as possible. As per report Pak Army representative Mr. Lft Kernel Sangrez also explained that Pak army and Irrigation department are jointly making efforts for evacuation of water. (Source: Ibrat Newspaper)
Current status of Dewatering
District
|
Maximum Inundated Area (SQ KM)
|
Dewatered From 28th September to 27th November and remaining Inundation
|
Current status as of 27th November
|
%
|
Badin
|
3771
|
2803
|
968
|
74
|
Benazirabad
|
850
|
732
|
118
|
86
|
Mirpurkhas
|
1694
|
1297
|
397
|
77
|
Sanghar
|
2554
|
1629
|
925
|
64
|
Tando Allahyar
|
462
|
297
|
165
|
64
|
Tharparkar
|
197
|
118
|
79
|
60
|
TM Khan
|
346
|
268
|
57
|
77
|
Umerkot
|
754
|
697
|
415
|
92
|
Total
|
6857
|
4070
|
3124
|
60
|
Data Source: SUPARCO
| ||||
Data Provided by SUPARCO through Satellite Imagery and analyzed by PACF
Above mentioned situation unfolds the dewatering phenomena of the period as of 28th September to 27th October in above selected districts. As per report yet 3124 SQ KM is underwater out of 6857 SQKM in eight districts. The generated data shows that District Badin, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas were majorly in water and yet there remains water to be disposed off shown in the achieved percentage. Based on the research and study the Current situation is almost same as per feedback of the PACF and its secretariat.
Chart 1 Inundation in Afected Areas
Description of the Chart
The analysis of the data by generated by SPARCO through satellite surface images which shows that the trend of dewatering or inundation recession from 28th Sep to 27th November. The findings of the data suggest with red line in the chart that the trend over the period is slow when compared within the period initial and current trend.
As per Minutes of Provincial Protection Cluster Meeting held at Indus Hotel, Hyderabad, 1030hrs on 29th Nov 2011 underlying protection issues/concerns were discussed on the dewatering situation as under.
v It was shared in the meetings that in six UCs of two talukas of District Mirpurkhas de-watering is a big challenge which needed to be addressed.
v It was shared in the meeting that in five UCs of two talukas of Benazirabad de-watering is a big challenge which needed to be addressed.
As per field input Taluka Pangrio of District Badin is seriously suffering water locked situation where natural and historical water outlets and drainages are controlled by the local influential and community is crying to prioritise the area for dewatering.
Gap Analysis:
District Sanghar and Badin are yet suffering flood stagnant water due to the controlled water drainages by local influential indirectly servicing their individual benefits and denying writ of the Government.
v During field findings it has been observed that water pumping machines are lacking as per requirement and those available with Government are being used for the Landlords and others near to power colliders.
v Due to the continuous standing of water Underground water level is up therefore land pouring is not happening. Due to the change of administrative system from local government to DC system early flood response did not perform effectively particularly in dewatering the situation. Whereas Refusal of the Government in month of September and October in rescue phase of the flood to International Aid agencies also contributed to worsen the situation in dewatering the land under water.
Suggestion and Recommendations
v Water and drainage disposals and outlets should be neutralized and writ of the government be established.
v Water pumping machines should be gained as per requirement.
v Utilization of the Water pumping machines should be neutral so that forced return from the camps may be avoided.
