DADU People attending the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Urs endured numerous difficulties during the three-day celebrations which concluded on Wednesday evening.
Hundreds of thousands of devotees from all parts Pakistan, and even from neighbouring countries faced shortage of drinking water, poor sanitation, power breakdowns and, above all, law and order problem.
Some 17 people are reported to have died of suffocation, stampede, drowning and road accidents. Besides, 25,000 patients suffering from different ailments were treated at medical camps and Taluka Hospital Sehwan.
The taluka municipal administration (TMA) staff did not cooperate with the Mela Committee and district administration. TMA officials sold a water tank for Rs17,00 but neglected the drainage and hygiene. Drains kept overflowing in Makrani Mohalla, Kazi Mohalla, Sabzwari Mohalla and Kehar colony.
Cases of gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and other diseases were reported because of the contaminated water.
Nadeem Khan and his 50 relatives from Gujrat stayed in Kehar Colony where according to him drains kept overflowing for three days with no one doing anything about it.
Another devotee, Shahid Butt claimed that he and his companions could not get clean water despite paying Rs1700 for a tanker while his 20 relatives were affected by diarrhoea and were unable to get proper health services. He said that few medical camps for a crowd of thousands had been set up.
Dr Saleem Khanzada of Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation said that around 10,000 patients had visited their two medical camps during the three-day Urs, most suffering from water-borne diseases.
The taluka hospital could not cater to hundreds of thousands of people with only three doctors on night duty. Patients were seen lying on ground, in and around the hospital.
Akbar from Multan, lying in the lawn of hospital, complained that he had not received any treatment although he suffered from heat-stroke and diarrhoea.
The Medical Superintendent of Taluka Hospital, Dr Moinuddin Siddique said that over 14,000 had patients visited the six medical camps and taluka hospital with 160 patients admitted to the hospital. He said that seven deaths were reported at the hospital.
'Three doctors and 10 paramedical staff were sufficient to handle the situation,' he said adding that 19,000 children had been administered polio drops in coordination with the WHO in three days.
Dr Karim Birhamani of the Sindh United Party, who had set up a medical camp at Dhamal Chowk, said that 2,000 patients suffering from gastroenteritis, sunstroke and other diseases reported at the camp with most of them suffering from water-borne diseases.
Complaints were also reported regarding gambling, narcotics and anti-social activities. Police established checkposts at Lal bag, Aral wah and charged Rs200 from every vehicle.
Seventeen deaths were reported by the Edhi Centre, including seven at the taluka hospital.
Secretary Mela Committee and EDO Revenue Jamshoro, S. Adeeb Bachani said that arrangements this year were better than in earlier years. The Health Department had set up six camps on the Indus highway and casualties were only 17 as compared to 50 last year, he said.
SHRINE SEALED The Qalandar shrine was closed for devotees for several hours before the arrival of the chief minister.
A heavy contingent of police was deployed in the premises and the personnel of a bomb disposal squad were searching every person, even officials and journalists.
