A Stitch In Time Saves Nine

A couple of days ago, there lived a man in a beautiful village in the district of khairpur’ Sindh. It was the month of July. People everywhere were busy with their work of harvesting dates in the area.

The embankments of the canal passing near the village were wrecked. The man was concerned about the people of the village. He managed to gather the people of the village and said to them, “Dear fellows, these banks of the canal should be repaired before monsoon season sets in. The upcoming rain may destroy the canal banks and affect us badly, so we must protect ourselves by repairing the canal banks before the rain starts.” But no one listened to him. His words were ignored. They left, saying, “We are busy with work, and we will see this matter later.’’ Date palm harvesting was going on in the village at that time.

Time passed.

It was the month of august when the rain started, and it was continuously raining heavily. Due to torrential rains, the canal bank broke down due to high water pressure. The water in the form of flood soon spread in the village. Land routes of the village to the city and nearby villages were blocked due to flooding. Many houses collapsed, livestock, veggies, crops, and date palm fruit fled away in flood water.

People saved their lives by climbing mounds or roofs of concrete buildings. Mosquitoes were rampant, and epidemics outbreaks made life miserable. Bad smell of stagnant water and skin diseases spread all around. Many had to migrate to safe places by boat. Now people repented of their negligence, but all in vain.

--Hifza Rabia