Groundwater has become contaminated all over Sindh, says CM
Murad suggests adoption of scientific approach to improve the quality of groundwater
Shah Farman says groundwater reserves across K-P depleting. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that groundwater has become contaminated almost all over Sindh and to stem the rot he was in constant touch with experts and donor agencies.
He said that his government was providing water supply and drainage schemes to the rural areas of the province and simultaneously another plan was being evolved to refresh and revive groundwater quality. “The biggest reservoir of contaminated water is Manchar Lake and we are working on a plan with the World Bank, European donors and expert agencies to wash and refresh the lake and revive its past glory,” he said.
This he said on Saturday while presiding over different meetings to finalise their uplift portfolio for the next financial year.
PHE department
The public health engineering (PHE) department meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Planning and Development Chairperson Naheed Shah, PHE Secretary Roshan Shaikh, Local Government Secretary Khalid Hyder Shah, Finance Special Secretary Asif Jahangir and other concerned officers.
Murad said that groundwater all over Sindh, except for a few districts, used to be sweet and fresh but with the passage of time its quality has deteriorated as a result of which, the government had to switch to reverse osmosis (RO) plants to meet the demand for potable water in rural areas. “The solution of the problem lies in adopting a scientific approach for improving the quality of groundwater,” said the CM adding that he was working with the World Bank and other agencies to launch a comprehensive plan to refresh and revive the aquifers.
He said that PHE department was of utmost importance in terms of its services of providing efficient water supply and drainage schemes in rural areas of the province. “I want the department to complete its on-going schemes for the people’s benefit and plan to launch more schemes in the remaining villages,” he said.
PHE secretary informed the meeting that in the next financial year 169 schemes, including 96 on-going and 169 new ones, would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs26.7 billion. He added that the schemes to be completed include 39 water supply and 57 drainage schemes during the current year. The 28 new schemes for water supply and 15 for drainage would also be completed in the next financial year.
Local government minister informed the meeting that during the current fiscal year, his department would be completing 100 schemes at an estimated cost of Rs13.5 billion.
The CM said that in the next financial year he would give some important schemes to Karachi including roads, flyovers and beautification of important places. He added that the suburban areas of Karachi would also be given importance in the next Annual Development Programme.
Education sector
Presiding over another meeting of the education department, the CM was informed by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah that there were 9,600 shelterless schools in Sindh of which, only 71 units have around 100 enrolments.
At this, the CM directed that the shelterless schools, which have an enrolment of around 40 students, should be shifted to a nearby government school. “The school which has less than 40 students cannot be termed as [shelterless] school, therefore such schools may be removed from the list of the shelterless schools,” he said.
Murad also directed the education department to focus on training programmes for teachers. “Our teachers must be well-trained,” he said.
Taking another decision, CM directed the education department to reconstruct 160 dangerous school buildings. “Some schools buildings have become too old, therefore their reconstruction or revamping must be done,” he said.
Irrigation matters
The CM was informed that 56 schemes at an estimated cost of Rs18.1 billion would be completed by the end of the current financial year.
To a question, Irrigation Minister Syed Nasir Shah said that the some of the schemes that would be completed include the construction of the recharge dam across Angai-II Nai located in the Central Kohistan, construction of three recharge dams, Dilan, Naig and Mazarrani, in upper Kohistan area, construction of two small dams at Acar Salar Goth Bin Qasim, construction of stone pitching to retain soil at Rohri Canal near Ranipur, construction of a bridge over Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) main Sim Nala and construction of a drain from Haji Ali Ahmad Mahri to TM Khan.
The CM said that he would pay a surprise visit to some of the sites of the schemes after approval of the budget.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2019.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that groundwater has become contaminated almost all over Sindh and to stem the rot he was in constant touch with experts and donor agencies.
He said that his government was providing water supply and drainage schemes to the rural areas of the province and simultaneously another plan was being evolved to refresh and revive groundwater quality. “The biggest reservoir of contaminated water is Manchar Lake and we are working on a plan with the World Bank, European donors and expert agencies to wash and refresh the lake and revive its past glory,” he said.
This he said on Saturday while presiding over different meetings to finalise their uplift portfolio for the next financial year.
PHE department
The public health engineering (PHE) department meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Planning and Development Chairperson Naheed Shah, PHE Secretary Roshan Shaikh, Local Government Secretary Khalid Hyder Shah, Finance Special Secretary Asif Jahangir and other concerned officers.
Murad said that groundwater all over Sindh, except for a few districts, used to be sweet and fresh but with the passage of time its quality has deteriorated as a result of which, the government had to switch to reverse osmosis (RO) plants to meet the demand for potable water in rural areas. “The solution of the problem lies in adopting a scientific approach for improving the quality of groundwater,” said the CM adding that he was working with the World Bank and other agencies to launch a comprehensive plan to refresh and revive the aquifers.
He said that PHE department was of utmost importance in terms of its services of providing efficient water supply and drainage schemes in rural areas of the province. “I want the department to complete its on-going schemes for the people’s benefit and plan to launch more schemes in the remaining villages,” he said.
PHE secretary informed the meeting that in the next financial year 169 schemes, including 96 on-going and 169 new ones, would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs26.7 billion. He added that the schemes to be completed include 39 water supply and 57 drainage schemes during the current year. The 28 new schemes for water supply and 15 for drainage would also be completed in the next financial year.
Local government minister informed the meeting that during the current fiscal year, his department would be completing 100 schemes at an estimated cost of Rs13.5 billion.
The CM said that in the next financial year he would give some important schemes to Karachi including roads, flyovers and beautification of important places. He added that the suburban areas of Karachi would also be given importance in the next Annual Development Programme.
Education sector
Presiding over another meeting of the education department, the CM was informed by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah that there were 9,600 shelterless schools in Sindh of which, only 71 units have around 100 enrolments.
At this, the CM directed that the shelterless schools, which have an enrolment of around 40 students, should be shifted to a nearby government school. “The school which has less than 40 students cannot be termed as [shelterless] school, therefore such schools may be removed from the list of the shelterless schools,” he said.
Murad also directed the education department to focus on training programmes for teachers. “Our teachers must be well-trained,” he said.
Taking another decision, CM directed the education department to reconstruct 160 dangerous school buildings. “Some schools buildings have become too old, therefore their reconstruction or revamping must be done,” he said.
Irrigation matters
The CM was informed that 56 schemes at an estimated cost of Rs18.1 billion would be completed by the end of the current financial year.
To a question, Irrigation Minister Syed Nasir Shah said that the some of the schemes that would be completed include the construction of the recharge dam across Angai-II Nai located in the Central Kohistan, construction of three recharge dams, Dilan, Naig and Mazarrani, in upper Kohistan area, construction of two small dams at Acar Salar Goth Bin Qasim, construction of stone pitching to retain soil at Rohri Canal near Ranipur, construction of a bridge over Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) main Sim Nala and construction of a drain from Haji Ali Ahmad Mahri to TM Khan.
The CM said that he would pay a surprise visit to some of the sites of the schemes after approval of the budget.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2019.