Sialkot residents vulnerable to water-borne diseases

Major reason for contamination of water is rusted and broken water supply pipelines

SIALKOT: Residents of Sialkot have become vulnerable to various water-borne diseases after concuming contaminated water due to the negligence of local government and the Tehsil Municipal Administration.

A survey by Express News showed that a large number of patients have been admitted to different government and private hospitals in Sialkot as well as adjoining areas. Health department officials have confirmed that the number of such patients is rising on a daily basis, while locals are rapidly falling victim to water-borne diseases.



The survey revealed that the major reason behind the contaminated water supply is the rusted and broken pipelines, which have become a health hazard for the people of Sialkot City. Another cause of the contamination is the underground junction of rusted and broken pipelines and sewerage lines. which are located in close proximity of each other at several spots.

Residents of the city have accused the Sialkot Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) of not paying attention to the matter in residential, commercial and industrial areas.

Earlier, the public health department had declared the city’s water supply contaminated and unfit for human consumption in four tehsils.

Other affected areas include Mianapura, Model Town, Muzaffarpura, Imam Sahib, Karimpura, Hajipura, Ghouspura, Naikapura, Muhammadpura, Shahabpura, Roras Road, Gulshan Town, Pakka Garha, Muhallah Chah Tarkhaana and Muhallah Kashmiriyaan.

The public health department also directed Sialkot TMA officials to immediately change or repair the damaged water supply and sewerage pipelines. They added that a deep water boring system is needed to ensure the provision of portable drinking water in Sialkot.

Health department officials fear that a gastroenteritis and jaundice epidemic could break out across the city’s congested residential areas at any time. Officials have expressed concerns that water-borne diseases could also extend beyond Sialkot to connecting water systems if remedial preventive measures are not taken immediately.



When contacted, Sialkot Mayor Chaudhry Tauheed Akhtar told Express News, “The project to lay new water supply pipelines and other expenditures costs Rs8 billion. The government does not have the funds to initiate such a huge project. However, the scheme will be undertaken with the cooperation of Asian Development Bank,” he added.

The mayor maintained that the feasibility of the project has been completed and that work will be initiated soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2018.