ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Senate standing committee on Human Rights on Wednesday expressed serious concerns on presentation of Sindh government on funds distributed among victims of drought in Thar.
The committee recommended to call Chief Secretary of the Sindh government to present a detailed briefing on the issue.
The committee, held here under the chairmanship of Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari, was briefed that Finance Department had released sufficient funds from Financial Year 2013-14 to 2015-16 to provide relief to the affectees of drought.
Secretary Finance Department Government of Sindh apprised that Rs. 4193.905 million were allocated in these three years for distribution of 100 kgs wheat bags free of cost among the victims, Rs. 294.870 million for transportation of wheat and other miscellaneous expenses in the respective years.
Rs. 1,768.500 million for relief and rehabilitation activities Rs. 2,010,881 million for health and hygiene facilities in district Tharparkar, Rs. 1,953.131 million for health and hygiene facilities for district Umerkot and Rs. 10,273.267 million for livestock and fisheries department in the said three years.
The chairman of the committee raised the point that if 4.1 billion is spent on total population of 1.3 million of the area, it results as 2.5 100 kg (2.5 Monn) wheat provided to each person so how hunger or drought situation can exist in such situation.
The committee also recommended to ask the company appointed for reverse osmosis for provision of water in Thar as it was supposed to install 700 plants for water purification but installed only 432 among which few are faulty and out of order while few other are inaccessible for the natives to reach.
The committee was attended by Senators Sitara Ayaz, Mir Kabir Ahmed Muhammad Shahi and Nisar Muhammad, while Secretary Ministry of Human Rights and member of National Commission for Human Rights, representatives of Sindh government and officials of Ministry of Human Rights.
