LAYYAH: River erosion has increased due to the rising water flow in the Indus in the riverine belt of Lal Essan Karor.

The erosion has been eating up acre after acre since June last, and so far more than 1,500 fertile acres have come under the river attack in Union Council Warrah Seharan. Dozens of localities of Mauza Rakhwan, including Chah Tottanwala, Basti Godra, Basti Makorri, Basti Channawer, Basti Manjothabad, Basti Seharan, Basti Darkhan, Basti Jumma, Basti Khokhar, Basti Chajrra and Basti Lodhra are now under the strong current of the mighty Indus while Basti Maharram is on the verge of becoming part of the river.

Among the affected is Malik Muhammad Ramzan who has lost his 60-acre fertile land. Once the owner of land worth millions, Ramzan is now homeless.

“The minimum market price of my land was Rs2.5 million per acre,” he said, choking back the tears.

He used to have lots of income from his mango, lemon and date orchards. This year, these orchards were in full bloom when erosion struck them.

“I’ve lost all of my agricultural land and a newly-built villa; now, my family is at the mercy of Almighty Allah,” Riaz Ahmed Sehar said while looking towards the sky.

Munawar Abbas, of Basti Makorri, said that he had lost 40 acre while another 30 acre were about to be engulfed.

“In all likelihood, I will lose my standing crops as well.”

Standing crops of rice, cotton and sugarcane and mango orchards worth millions of rupees have been eroded by the river.

According to the revenue department data, Mauza Rakhwan has 1,600 acres of fertile agricultural land and now only 150 acres are left which are also on the verge of being engulfed by the river.

Up to 2,000 people of the localities of the mauza have been displaced as their houses were eroded by the Indus.

Former federal minister Bahadur Ahmed Khan Sehar demanded that the Punjab government allot land for the erosion victims. MPA Shahabuddin Sehar told Dawn that the Punjab government had constructed an embankment upstream in Bait Monger that would be extended to the affected point to save the properties and livelihoods of the residents of the riverine area.”

Deputy Commissioner Babar Bashir maintained he had written a letter to the government for the allocation of the funds to construct the embankment.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2019