Indus erosion threatens dozens of settlements near Layyah in Pakistan
In Pakistan, erosion of the Indus River’s banks has destroyed dozens of settlements, thousands of acres of fertile farmland and crops near the city of Layyah. People have lost their homes and were forced to leave the area with their livestock, Dawn reports.
Settlements under threat
Over the past few days, the low-lying settlements of Kanjal, Alyani, Maken, Baloch, Khokhar, Jawand, Joni, Noon, Sonra and Kalhora have been particularly affected by erosion. Safdar Kalasra, an activist with the Seraiki Lok Saanjh movement, said that the Indus has moved dangerously close to Layyah: in the Lala area, only a few hundred feet separate the river from the city.
According to Kalasra, Layyah, Jaman Shah, Kot Sultan and Paharpur, as well as hundreds of surrounding settlements, are under serious threat. On Thursday, affected residents held a protest near the Layyah Press Club.
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Residents’ statements
Kalasra linked the worsening situation to large volumes of silt that, he said, had entered the Indus from the Chashma Canal over the past 20 years. He claims that the accumulation of silt created obstructions in the riverbed, causing the river to change direction and intensify erosion of the eastern bank.
Irfan Kanjal, a resident of Wasti Kanjal, said that the district administration had not taken effective measures to protect the settlements. Another local resident, Ramazan Gormani from Wasti Gormani, said that Punjab authorities spend significant funds on projects in the central part of the province and in Lahore instead of protecting the Indus riverbank areas, including by building groynes and protective embankments.
Over the past year, the river has also washed away low-lying settlements near Paharpur, including Madu, Dadan, Sheikh, Karlo, Machhi, Natkani, Kalati, Chandharar, Qureshi, Gormani, Jabhil, Darakhan, Jallo, Sangri, Khandrani, Chaki, Mullan, Manjotu, Mallu, Mashori and Mulu.
