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Cholistan hit by drought after every 10 to 12 years

BAHAWALPUR: Though Cholistan normally receives sufficient rains to meet requirements of its people but the desert is hit by drought after every ten to twelve years forcing a large number of people of the area to migrate to settled areas.

About 530 km long and 30 to 200 km wide Cholistan Desert, which is passing through dry spell these days presents deserted look. However, it will turn lush green after it receives shower and many important herbs grow in this area which survive even in drought.

Cholistan desert has five to fifty feet high sand duens. Cholistanis have their peculiar life style. They rear milch animals including cows, sheep, camels and goats and every family owns fifty to three hundred cattle heads.

They meet their requirements through sale of milk and other dairy products besides wool and live in huts and katcha houses.

They totalling depend on rain water which they accumulate in pits which are called 'tobas' and 'kunds' (ponds).

They leave their animals in open and there is no fear of their being lifted away. There is no crime here and nobody keeps firearms; stick is their only arm.

During summer as the ponds get dry they migrate to the settled areas. As soon as they come to know of rain in Cholistan, they return to their homes. This year there has been no rain even during winter and Cholistanis are waiting for the showver to return to the area.

The present dry cycle will be over as soon as Cholistan receives rain and life will return to normalcy, but what is required is that an irrigation scheme should be launched for the area so that lakhs of acres of cultivable desert land could be brought under plough which could bring about green revolution in the country. APP