DISTRICT PROFILE

GHOTKI

Group
Members:
Mirza Asad
Ullah Baig
(UE-076)
M. Hadi Arzoo
(UE-065)
M. Farhan
Khan
(UE-079
Batch )

2012-13
Course :
Advanced
Constructio
n
Technologi
es &
Disaster
Manageme
nt

URBAN & INFRASTRUCTURE

ENGINEERING, NEDUET

Table of Content:
Introduction........................................................................................................... 3
Population:............................................................................................................. 6
Level of Congestion-Persons and Rooms:..............................................................6
Construction Material of Outer Wall:......................................................................8
Construction Material in Roofs:..............................................................................8
Census Data Images:............................................................................................. 9
Lost Estimation:................................................................................................... 11
Conclusion and Recommendations:.....................................................................14

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Introduction
Ghotki District (Sindhi) is a district in Pakistan, located in the Sindh province. Its capital city
is Ghotki City. According to the 1998 census, the district had a population of 970,550. Of
these residents, 158,500 (16.33%) lived in urban areas, and 812,050 (83.67%) lived in rural
areas.
The district is divided into three clear physical parts a) desert area b) cultivable area and c)
flooded area (katcha). The district Ghotki is spread over area of 6,975 sq. KMs or 1,555,528
acres, in which desert constitutes 25,000 acres of land. The desert area, which is consisting of
hills of wind-blown sand that known as Achhro Thar (White Desert) which starts from
Sanghar district to Choolistan (Punjab) along with Indian border state Rajistan. It goes along
with southern belt of District.
Location: The Ghotki District is a border district between the northern Sindh province of
Pakistan and Punjab, Pakistan.
Ghotki was founded by an ambassador general of Raja Ibn Selaj Birhman (a relative of Raja
Dahir of Sindh) in 637 ACE (the 15th year of Hijra). It was named after Hath Sam, who set
up a military camp in the area after defeating the Muslim Army of Arabia.
After the British conquest of Sindh province in 1847, the British awarded huge blocks of
irrigated, fertile land to the Ghotta tribal chieftains in return for their loyalty. Gradually, the
town's name changed into Ghotki ("of Ghottas").
Today, there are Sindhi-speaking Arains in Ghotki who descended from the area's ancient
inhabitants, as far back as the days of Muhammad Bin Qadim. Punjabi Arains (named after
Punjab), who speak Punjabi, have been settled in the Ghotki District since the 1940s.[3]

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Satellite Image:

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Population:
970549 as per 1998 senses,
(Men: 271163 Women: 24596 Children (Below 18 years): 517124)
Growth Rate: 3.26%
Rural Rate: 83.67% Urban Rate: 16.33%
Population density 159.6 persons per sq/kms
Animals Affected: 400000 of different kinds in 9 UCs.
Cultivable land affected: 177,419 Acres
Percentage of agriculture land affected: 100%
Household infrastructure damages: 80%
Infrastructure / Road etc damages: 100%
Livestock and cattle mortality: Approximately 400000
Total IDPs in 91 Government camps 50,000 (6050 Families)

Level of Congestion-Persons and Rooms:

As large as about percent person of the housing units in Ghotki districts are single room
houses, higher at 81.64 percent in rural areas as compared to 53.28 percent in urban areas.
Housing units with 2 to 4 rooms are at 21.36 percent in the district, in contrast to 1 room
housing units, have been reported much higher at 47.07 percent in urban areas as against only
17.73 percent in rural areas. Housing units of 5 and more rooms are quite insignificant at 0.91
percent in the district. 0.63 percent in rural areas as compared to 2.66 percent in urban areas.
Number of rooms per housing units have been reported at 1.3 in the district. Same in rural
areas but slightly higher at 1.8 in urban areas. Persons per room are 4.23 with 4.08 in rural
and 3.61 in urban areas. Persons per housing unit have been reported at 5.5 and 5.3 in the
district and rural areas but higher at 6.5 in urban areas. Table 3.1 gives the indices of
congestion in 1998 census.

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Level of Congestion
Persons per housing Unit
Persons per Room
Rooms Per Housing Unit
Housing Unit with One
Room(percentage)
Housing Unit with 3, 4 Rooms
(percentage)
Housing Unit with 5 Rooms and
more (percentage)

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All areas

Rural

Urban

5.5

5.3

6.5

4.23

4.08

3.61

1.3

1.3

1.8

77.73

81.64

53.28

31.36

17.73

47.07

0.91

0.63

2.66

Construction Material of Outer Wall:

About 49 percent of the housing units have walls of unbacked bricks/earth blocks followed
by standard pakka walls made of baked bricks/blocks and stone with cement bonding at 32.77
percent. Housing units having wooden wall have been reported at 15.78 percent and quite
insignificant percentage of 2.25 with the material falling in the category of other in the
district.
There is marked variation in the qualitative indices of construction material between urban
and rural areas. In urban areas 59.42 percent of the housing units have the standard pakka
walls made of baked bricks /blocks and stones with cement bonding in contrast to almost its
half at 28.51 percent in rural areas. However a higher 51.72 percent housing units have
unbaked bricks/earth bonded in rural areas as compared to 33.45 percent in urban areas.
Similarly category of wooden walls is about three times at 17.45 percent in rural against 5.30
percent in urban areas. Table 3.3 gives details of construction material used in outer walls.

Table 3.4: Materials used in roof by Rural/ Urban, 1998

constriction categories

(PERCENTAGE)
All Areas

All Categories

Rural

Urban

100

100

100

Baked Bricks/ Blocks/ Stones

32.77

28.51

59.42

Unbaked Bricks/ Earth Bond

49.2

51.72

33.45

15.78

17.45

5.3

2.25

2.32

1.82

Wood/ Bamboo
Others

Construction Material in Roofs:

About 59 percent of the housing units have wood/bamboo in the construction of roofs in the
district. It has predominantly been used as 63.18 percent in rural areas as compared to its
almost at 32.25 percent in urban areas. Housing units using cement/iron sheet in the district
are at 20.37 percent, higher at 33.9 percent in urban areas as compared to 18.21 percent in
rural areas. Use of RCC/RBC remained low at 12.12 percent in the district, three times at
28.55 percent in urban areas as compared to 9.49 percent in rural areas. A percentage of 8.6
housing units have used unspecified category of material for roofs in the district, almost same
at 9.12 percent in rural areas as compared to 5.3 percent to urban areas respectively. Table 3.4
gives details of material in roof construction

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`Table 3.4: Materials used in roof by Rural/ Urban, 1998

constriction categories
All Areas
Rural
Urban
(PERCENTAGE)
All Categories

100

100

100

RCC/ RBC

12.12

9.49

28.55

Cement/ Iron Sheet

20.37

18.21

33.9

Wood/ Bamboo

58.91

63.18

32.25

8.6

9.12

5.3

Others

Census Data Images:

Image 1

Image 2

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Image 3

Image 4

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Lost Estimation:

The district database is used to calculate the total building damage and
economic loss
Simulation is done on ELER software
Latitude and longitude of epicenter is noted from the nearest fault line
Effect of earthquake of magnitude 8 is noted

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Conclusion and Recommendations:

History shows that Ghotki is prone to flood, as in past we see that it has 9 flood
effected UCs namely, Ranvtim Wasti Jeewan Shah, Langho, Pakka Chandio, Qadir
pur, Hussain Beli, M Khan Ghoto, Baghoo Daho and Umar Daho.
It is also prone to earthquake as it has some nearest fault lines. There could be
many damage as the structure is not very good, mainly the houses made up of
katcha and semi-katcha bricks.
There could be also triggered disasters with natural disasters as there are
different factories, industries and power plants, gas-field, sugar mills are
situated. Any of these structures can become life threatening to its workers and
also the residents.
Preparedness and mitigation could be the key objectives for minimizing the loss
of damage in future subjected to natural or triggered disasters. Government
should also play its part to ensure safety for its citizens.

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