Noorpur Thal stricken by water-borne diseases

Local residents have protested against administration due to contamination of pond

NOORPUR THAL: A sewerage pond, in the centre of Noorpur Thal, is causing the spread of dangerous diseases in a city home to thousands of people.

Local residents have protested against the administration due to the contamination of water. Reportedly, citizens are facing difficulty in breathing owing to the foul smell which has spread in the area because of the presence of sewage waste in the water pond, located in the centre of the city.

The pond covers an area of more than three acres and is located adjacent to the walls of a government rest house, district public school and officers’ colony.

The populations living nearby have to bear the consequences as they suffer from the dissemination of dangerous diseases and medical conditions including itching, tuberculosis and heart diseases.

Local residents of the area including Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Sajid, Mohammad Safdar Raja, Raja Dilawar, Mohammad Hussain Raja Mohammad Sulaiman and others have protested over the issue.

The protesters argued that instead of eliminating dirt from this pond, sewage waste is actively being flushed in this pond which has led to the erosion of the land. Moreover, the trash collected from all over the city is dumped over here.

A protester told The Express Tribune that for many years, local residents have repeatedly indicated the problems to all elected public representatives and officers but the residents did not hear back from any of them.

He further said that usually in the summer season, due to the poor cleanliness situation of the area, medical problems of itching and others develop among the majority of the city's population.

A local resident said that this filthy pond has also become a haven for dangerous snakes and wild animals, making it difficult for people to go out of their houses later in the evening. “Due to this dirty pond, mosquitoes thrive in the city all year long, making the area risky and unlivable for citizens.”

We demand improvements in the declining living condition of the area, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2020.