As many as 12 people including 9 children died of cholera in the Pir Koh area of Dera Bugti after drinking sullied water during last 20 days as the area is facing acute scarcity of potable water, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

According to a report, cholera epidemic has broken out in Pir Koh due to non-availability of clean drinking water. The residents who are deprived of basic necessity of life are forced to drink sullied and brackish water at the risk of their own lives.

During last 20 days, 12 people including 9 children have died of cholera while the number of infected people has reached 1,600 who are getting medical treatment from the government and private hospitals of the area.

The local residents have complained that the Pir Koh gas has reached to Islamabad and further to Karachi. But not to talk of other amenities, the Pir Koh residents are even deprived of potable water, they rued.

They have regretted that the condition of Pir Koh residents is more pathetic than the people of Tharparkar. In a matter of just a few days, several lives have been wasted and hundreds have been infected by the disease.

It is regrettable that public representatives are waiting for elections but nobody cares about the welfare of poor people.

On the other hand, District Health Officer Dr Azam Bugti has said that the health department has started providing medical help to the residents of Pir Koh.

While, Dera Bugti Deputy Commissioner Mumtaz Khethran claimed that the administration has started providing potable water and medical facilities to the people of the affected area.

Reporter Muhammad Arif