Wastewater empties into Indus unabated: Haleem

As contamination of the Indus River and its canals continues unabated, Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh has blamed the Sindh government for defying the Supreme Court-mandated Commission on Water and Sanitation's orders. During a visit to a Phuleli Canal bank in Hyderabad on Sunday, Haleem pointed out how municipal and industrial wastewater is being emptied in the canal, which is a drinking water and irrigation source for many districts of Sindh.

"Over 85 per cent of Sindh's population is being compelled to consume sewage mixed water," he claimed. Haleem deplored that neither has the provincial government been able to stop the discharge of contaminated water from residential, commercial and industrial areas in the waterways nor are sewage treatment plants being installed.

He lamented that more than 500,000 people in Sindh get infected with Hepatitis every year while cancer, ulcer, typhoid and other water borne diseases have also become common in the province due to air and water pollution. He recalled that the apex court formed the water commission for the province to address the issues in question.

Read Corrupt leaders a security risk to the province: Haleem

The commission, he added, ordered urgent steps to stop the release of toxic wastewater in freshwater channels and construction of treatment plants in all towns of the province. However, the Opposition Leader said, the Sindh government has not implemented the commission's orders.

A Commission on Water and Sanitation was constituted on directives of the Supreme Court, which compiled a detailed report over the situation of water contamination in Sindh, he said, adding that the report was sent to the provincial government but the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government failed to implement the commission's recommendations.

"[Karachi Administrator] Murtaza Wahab remained the provincial environment minister [advisor] for many years. It was his responsibility to ensure implementation but not a single effluent treatment plant could be made operational." Haleem said sewerage water of Sukkur was being disposed of in Indus River and, likewise, the urban drains of Shikarpur, Larkana, Dadu and other districts also emptied in the canals.

In Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts all the four canals including Phuleli, Pinyari, Akram and KB Feeder canals are being polluted with toxic wastewater from residential and industrial areas. Citing a survey report, Haleem bemoaned that in Karachi 95 per cent of the piped water was contaminated, in Larkana 88 per cent and in Shikarpur 78 per cent.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2021.