COVID 19 Effects on Tharparkar
Tharparkar is commonly known as a draught area. Before the onset of COVID-19, the people of Tharparkar were already facing unending problems.
The survey data showed that three-fourth of the population is afflicted by poverty and malnutrition, and the infant mortality rate is much higher than in other districts. Water itself is an issue in Tharparkar for so many years of the dry weather. The entire district is facing a water shortage owing to a lack of routine rains. The available underground water too is not suitable for drinking. Since 2013-14 Tharparkar has been facing a draught-like situation consistently. The youth of the district had no choice, but to work in urban areas like Karachi and Hyderabad to support their families financially due to the non-availability of resources.
As coronavirus spread to almost 200 countries, including Pakistan, the fatal spread of the virus led to the Sindh government announcing a strict lockdown in the whole province for months.
The industries and garment factories were shut down. The people working in the urban areas had no choice left except to return to their homes due to the pandemic. Most people of Tharparkar did only small businesses, retail, shopkeeping, and they too had to halt their work.
The daily wage earners are now unemployed, and no source of income has remained. The circumstances are indescribable or horrific to express in words. The people of Tharparkar are living their life only at the mercy of Allah.
In a situation so dire, one should be grateful to be safe and healthy and look out for the underprivileged, and follow SOPs so that things go back to normal as soon as possible.
