Thardeep Rural Development Program

Tharparkar district lies in the south-eastern part of Sindh province and is one of the most deprived regions of Pakistan. It has a population of about one million. Thar is a desert. Agriculture and pastural activity is the main source of income of the people. Both the activities depend on rainfall, which is often erratic and falls between July and September. After the rains, the desert subsoil acquifers are recharged and the pasturelands are regenerated. However, by February, the acquifers are often depleted and the pasturelands dry up.

Traditionally, the Thari people migrated in the dry season to the flood plains o fIndus and to the barrage areas where the barrage farmers gave them protection. They were allowed to graze and water their animals in these areas and in exchange they provided the barrage area farmers with labour for wheat harvesting. In addition, Tharis society was a highly organised one and the old feudal order managed the large tracks of gouwcher or community grazing lands; protected them from over-grazing and tree and shrub felling; and maintained and constructed agricultural and water harvesting infrastructure. Thari economy was a barter one and the village took care of almost all its needs itself.

Thar is a border region and its society was affected in a big way during the 1965 and 1971 wars with India. In 1971, enemy forces occupied almost all of it. These wars considerably weakened the old feudal relationships and made the feudal order less effective. The weakening of the feudal order also meant the weakening of the administrative structure since the administrative structuredepended heavily on the feudals for governance purposes. In addition, in the barrage areas almost all-vacant land was brought under cultivation by the building of the Kotri Barrage. Space for Thari animals was no longer easily available. These changes made it difficult for the Thari communities to remain self-sufficient and a cash economy started to replace the barter economy that existed before, not only between Tharis themselves, but also between Thar and the barrage areas.

Due to the difficulty in-migrating to the barrage areas with cattle, the gowchers became over-grazed. In addition, the feudal structure because of increasing ineffectiveness could not protect them and trees and shrubs were felled indiscriminately. In their search for cash, the Tharis multiplied their cattle and over the last two decades their number has increased by more than 200 per cent. These developments have led not only to over-grazing but also to large-scale desertification. With the demise of the effectiveness of the feudal order, agricultural and water harvesting infrastructure can no longer be built and maintained and nor can wildlife, such as patridges and peacocks be protected. The result of these changes has been that the Thari population can no longer survive period of droughts (which they could before)and hence more than 90 per cent of them are in debt to money-lenders to whom they pay large sums of interests. To meet the demands of a cash economy, they need to strengthen the institutions, generation of cash and improvements in education and health, and above all, a control over their collective assets and resources.

This part of the Sindh Province remains one of the country’s most disadvantaged regions in terms of governmental priorities. Sporadic and scanty rainfall, dwindling water resources, transient and limited grazing, and reliance on exploitative middle-men even for life’s mundane needs is a permanent feature of Thar. Except for subsistence farming and limited opportunities for generating incomes, mostly through handicraft and carpet productions through middlemen, there are no viable economic alternatives. It is common for individuals or whole families to migrate towards the irrigated plains to labour on farms; brick kilns or in low-paid work so as to survive in the emerging cash economy.

Compounded by difficulties of access and communication, Tharparkar’s economy is characterised by high population growth, increasing number of migrant communities, decreasing socio-economic opportunities based on traditional practices, and most of all, a rapid and unfettered deterioration in environmental resources which may soon threaten the very survival of the population.

The soils are generally infertile and because of severe wind erosion are overblown with sand. The desert vegetation is mostly herbaceous, or of stunted scrub; trees occasionally dot the landscape. The grasses form the main natural resources of the desert and provide nutritive and palatable pasturage. Water is very scarce. Whenever rain falls, it is collected in tanks and reservoirs and is used for drinking and domestic purposes. Most groundwater cannot be used because it lies deep underground and is often saline. Hence all these situations makes solid reasons to have an organisation for addressing these issues.

The desert areas of Tharparkar district, generally known as Thar, consist of the Talukas of Mithi, Chachro, and Nagarparkar and parts of the Diplo and Umarkot Talukas. The total area of the Desert is 22,000 square kilometers and the population is between .9 million to 1 million. The desert population from times immemorial has migrated to the irrigated areas in the dry seasons and particularly at the times of wheat harvest and also provides labour for sugarcane and for brink kilns. Mostly lower Hindu caste migrates regularly. Migrations do occur within Thar particularly on the first rain shower which occasionally covers the whole Thar in first instance. The animal population is estimated around 4 million with high portion of goats and sheep followedby cattle, and camel. The desert consists of sand dunes between, which are flat plains where agriculture can take place. The total land of Tharparkar is about 4.7 million hectares (1.7 million hectares not cultivable) Agriculture in the desert is entirely dependent on rainfall. However, since last couple of years the kitchen gardening on well water has started in the southern parts of the Thar and some agriculture cash crops are being cultivated around Karoonjhar hills of Nagarparkar. Rains charge all water sources in Thar. These water sources consist of wells, trais and covered tanks.

The rainfall occurs between July and September in normal years varies between 200 mm to 300 mm. It is not uniform all over Thar. Sowing is done immediately after rainfall. The main crop are guar and millet mixed with lentils, till, and melons. After the rains the Thar Desert supports extensive grass growth with rains which provide high value feed to livestock.

In 1961 the population of Thar was 396,000. In 1981 had increased to 774,617. Now the population of Thar is estimated around 1.million. It means in first twenty years it increased by 95 per cent which later 17 years has reduces and become 77 percent. The average growth rate as per these figures shows 3.9 percent year, which is higher than the national average.

According to the figures of the animal husbandry department there were 445,000 animals in desert in 1976. In 1986 this figure stood at 1,269,000 with an increase of 185 per cent. Now the animal population is estimated around 4 million. This is because of the improved network of market system.

Thars Mineral Resources and Artisan Skills

Granite: granite rock formation is found in the Nagarparkar region of Thar. These formations are 1450 to 1500 feet high and cover an area of about 40 square miles. It is available in the wide range of colors and textures.

China clay: China clay is found in Dedhvero Taluka Nagarparkar. It is estimated that 3.6 million tons is available at 35-pocket spread over an area of 125 square kilometers. According to the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC), 80 percent of Pakistan’s China Clay requirements are met by imports from other countries mainly from China. An expert says that the clay found from Nagarparkar is comparable in all respects to the imported one.

Coal: Coal has been found around 45 kilometers radius around Islamkot.

Salt: More than 50 Salt mines are found in the southern belt of Thar, which supplies the raw salt to Karachi.

Shawls (silk, wool, cotton, etc), goat and camel hair skin rugs, hand knotted carpet, embroidery of all kinds, blankets from sheep wool, and rulies are the main artisanal skills available in Thar. No scientific study on the handicraft of Thar has been done to date so far. Figures related to production, earnings, number of artisans, market possibilities etc. are not available.

The district consists of two sub-divisions, four talukas, forty four tappas (UCs) and three town committees, with Mithi being the headquarter of the district. A tappa consists of 30-40 villages. The administration staff consists 1 DC, two Assistant Commissioners, and four Mukhtarkars and support staff.

Education department: The department for the purposes of management is divided in four management structures at the district level. These comprise DEO secondary male, DEO secondary female, DEO, primary male and female. The management of the primary education is further divided in two sub-divisions (SDEO, male and Female) in both the sub-divisions. There are 22 high schools in the 21 locations, middle schools 30 at 30 locations for boys whereas 4 high schools at 4 locations and 12 middle schools at 11 locations are working for girls. In primary, there are about 2400 primary schools at about 2000 locations for boys and four hundred schools for girls in whole of Thar are reported. In addition to that there is a degree college in Mithi which had enrolled more than 800 students. The data on secondary teachers is not available for this paper. However, it is reported that about 4500 primary teachers are working in Thar.

Health Department: There are two big hospitals which have got the status of civil hospital in the towns of Mithi and Diplo whereas two RHC of A category, three RHC of B category in whole of Thar. Besides the health department operates 28 BHUs and 20 Dispensaries in Thar. Except two big hospitals, there are 65 medical doctors, 57 medical technician, 51 EPI workers and 41 Malaria supervisor working in Thar. It is important to note that only one lady doctor is working in Thar.

Animal Husbandry Department: The department is headed by Assistant Director and supported by 7 veterinary Officers, 77 stock assistants in the Districts.

According to one survey there are 82 NGOs are reported in Thar. Out of these 82 NGOs more than half are not existing on the ground whereas rest of the NGOs/CBOs are working according to their own area of operation. Among the working NGOs two NGOs (Thardeep Rural Development Programme and Baanhn Beli stands larger and can be categorized as rural development NGOs.

The communication network in Thar (particularly transport) has improved over the past few years. There are five gateways for Thar to connect itself with Barrage area. The eastern part of Thar is connected with Umarkot from where about 30 GMC trucks cum passenger leave daily to different villages of Taluka Chachro and Nagarparkar. The second connecting port is Kunri from where 4-7 GMC’s depart every day to Thar. It is connected with Chachro and Chelhar once every day. The largest and central market for these GMC’s is Naukot where 200-250 GMC’s trucks ply every day to between more than 500 villages and small towns of Thar. Kaloi is another very small town which is connects the western parts of the Diplo and nearby villages with its barrage area, The last gateway is Badin, which is connected with Diplo and surrounding villages. It is reported that about 1500 villages and Towns in Thar have either daily transport or every alternate day. The villages in the northern part of Thar, which are close to barrage areas, have not much access of the transport network. Metallic road: In district Thar the metallic road is about 200 kilometers, which facilitates about 150 villages.

Except Mithi, Diplo, Islamkot, Chachro, and very recently Nagarparkar are electrified. Besides, only 20 villages are electrified in Thar.

Mithi, Diplo, and Islamkot are connected with NWD network. Whereas non-NWD networks or exchanges are 10 and PCOs are 100 in Thar.

There are several communities in Muslims as well as in Hindu castes. In Muslims, more than 90 per cents castes belongs to smat clans. Whereas in Hindus, there are mojor portions of lower castes such as menghwars, Koli, Bheel, and uper hindu castes there are Lohanas and Bania (both trading communities) whereas Takirs are the land lords of the area.