VOA慢速英語:巴基斯坦遭遇干旱，但找到新的能量源

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Hello again, and welcome back to the program that helps you learn andimprove your American English. I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. Today’sbroadcast is all about the South Asian country of Pakistan. First we will takeyou to an area where many people, especially children, are suffering. And we will hear what the national government is trying to do for them as they wait for this sound (thunder).

After that, we will travel to Pakistani Kashmir for some good news. Manypeople there use small machines to produce their own electricity, and hope toimprove their way of life.

Each day on VOA, on shortwave, medium wave, FM, and by satellite and theInternet, we tell you about our world …As It Is.

Many children are dying in the Tharparkar area of southeast Pakistan. Theyare victims of a long drought. Tharparkar has received little rainfall over thepast two years. Recently, the government began sending food and water to the area. But experts in Pakistan say that effort came too late. They say thedeaths could have been prevented if politicians had acted earlier.

At least 60 children have died in Tharparkar over the past three months. Theyare victims of water shortages and severe poverty.

The son of this woman died late last month.

Village women walk through the desert in search for water in Pakistan.

“He fell ill due to hunger. Before, we had milk, yogurt, buttermilk for thechildren, but there’s nothing now. We’re poor people. How are we supposedto buy food?”

Earlier this month, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the governmentwould send money, food and medicine to the area.

“The provincial government and the Pakistani armed forces will get together tohelp you AND to get rid of your troubles. Now join me and chant: ‘Long LivePakistan.’”

People in Tharparkar live in small, dusty villages. They have long lacked goodhealth care services and dependable water supplies.

Harris Khalique is a public policy expert. He says the real problem is a lack ofeffective government planning.

“Malnutrition or malnourished is not caused because of a famine or a droughtin Thar -- it is a permanent condition, unfortunately in Thar. There’s abject,grinding poverty in Tharparker, and it’s a complete failure of governance, but not just a failure of governance, it’s also a failure of the economic systemwithin which we live in Pakistan.”

The World Bank says one third of Pakistan’s population lives in poverty. In thedrought-affected area, most of the people are non-Muslim. Some observerssay this means they do not get the same attention or services as otherPakistanis.

Back in Tharparkar, a woman named Sona brought her daughter to the localhospital. She says poverty and lack of basic services or schools causechildren to suffer.

“It’s a drought now. There are no more rains. We cultivate even if there areonly one or two rains. But all the crops dried up when the rains stopped, andnothing can be done. Those blessed with knowledge can easily fill theirstomachs, but those who are illiterate, starve.”

Observers say Pakistan must develop its rural areas or places like Tharparkarwill continue to experience periods of drought and death.

Small Machines Make Electricity

Many areas in Pakistan suffer energy shortages because of the country’spower grid, the wires and equipment that supply electricity to large areas. Thegrid does not reach all areas of the country. But in part of Pakistani Kashmir,people are now making their own electricity. They use small-scale turbines tocreate energy from the area’s many waterways. Christopher Cruise has thestory.

The Neelum Valley of southeastern Pakistan is sometimes called “Heaven onEarth.” People there want to protect their forests and keep their environmentclean. But the area also has a growing need for electricity. Shafiq Usmani is an official with the Neelum Valley Hydro-Electric Board.

“All the beauty of the Neelum Valley is dependent upon these forests, streams, this neat and clean water, and this can only be sustained if we are giving themthe clean energy.”

Two hundred thousand people live in the Neelum Valley. But less than half ofthem get electricity from Pakistan’s national power grid. They may not need tobecause the Neelum River and other waterways flow with enough force toproduce energy. Some communities have turned to small turbines -- called“hydel machines” -- to create electricity. A man named Rahimullah is one of the turbine operators.

“This hydel machine was installed with a share from 50 families, which costsus nearly $3,000. We started this small hydro scheme as we needed it. Weonly get light from it and no other electric appliances. We start this turbine at 3 in the afternoon and switch it off the next day at 8 a.m.”

Villagers like Mushtaq Ahmad say the homemade machines have changeddaily lives.

“When we had no electricity there was always smoke, as we use wood forheating and cooking, which causes diseases. Since we installed this project,thank God, we have gotten rid of these diseases and gained some otherbenefits.”

But even with the machines, there is not enough electricity for everyone. Sotrees are cut down to provide wood for fire. Sardar Basharat Ahmad is anengineer. He says the valley needs more turbines.

“Cutting down trees is a big loss. Using wood for heating and cooking causeshealth problems. If the hydel is promoted and new projects are set up, it willfulfill all the requirements of the people like cooking and heating, and it willsave the cutting down of green trees.”

Pakistan commonly experiences power cuts, especially in the summer. These “blackouts” affect many people and hurt economic activity. Thecountry is using only about ten percent of its possible hydropower. I’mChristopher Cruise.

I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. Today in the United States, we celebrate thebirths of two of our best writers. On this date in 1911, Tennessee Williamswas born. Two of his most famous works are “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “AStreetcar Named Desire.” His stories are mostly about people who haveproblems, and many of them are set in the American South. They arepowerful and emotional.

Also born on this date was a man who tried farming, teaching, and evenshoemaking, before he became famous for words like, “The woods are lovely,dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” American poet Robert Frost was born on this date in 1874.

Thank you for spending some time with us today. More Learning Englishprograms are just around the corner, and world news awaits you at thebeginning of the hour on the Voice of America.