: Ray of Light in Pakistan's Drought-hit Thar Desert - Case Study Example

For instance, prior to the water project being introduced to the Tharparkar, the region was neglected and underdeveloped. Further, the people in the region hardly ate or fed their livestock, and many died. The illiteracy rate was also high due to lack of assistance to the region development wise. The residents could not use the underground water due to its salinity and, as a result, there was an increase in waterborne disease due to lack of clean water. In addition, malnutrition and waterborne diseases were the most common causes of death in the region (Jilani, 2015).

Where development is retrogressive, the people suffer the most particularly in the marginalized or neglected regions in a country. Further, due to the lack of development projects in a region such as Tharparkar, the neglect also extends to infrastructure development such as roads, schools, hospitals and communication network. This is because most people are migrating to larger cities where they can find a means to sustain their livelihoods. Consequently, those left behind continue to languish in abject poverty and lack various social amenities available to citizens in other parts of the country such as Karachi, for instance.

However, massive development projects such as the water project in the Thar Desert is transforming the lives of the locals. Being a region that experiences constant spells of drought, the water project is significant in improving economic and social life of the locals (Shah & Baporikar, 2012). Previously, the scarcity of clean water meant that the locals had no option, but to rely on the saline water. Consequently, waterborne diseases affected them and their livestock perished. The water project would also enable the locals to access clean water for their domestic use.

This water project impacts positively on the lives of the locals in Thar Desert because they can now use clean water to irrigate