Give potable water in taps: experts

Say water pollution kills more people than terrorism

KARACHI:

Medical experts say that polluted water causes more deaths than terrorism, violent crimes and accidents combined worldwide.

 Death rate from contaminated water is three times higher among children under 15.

 In urban and rural areas of Pakistan, 62 to 82% of drinking water is hazardous to human health, which contains large amounts of bacteria, arsenic, nitrate and other dangerous metals.

 However, due to the administration's inattention and faulty system, it is common for sewage water to mix with drinking water lines.

 Experts expressed these views at a seminar on contaminated water and prevention measures at the National Institute Of Child Health (NICH) Auditorium under the auspices of Tech Greens Research and Development Services with the collaboration of NICH and the Asian Union Forum.

 The purpose of the seminar is to raise awareness on the prevention of diseases caused by contaminated water, including diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis, and identify the factors and make efforts to prevent the causes of these diseases.

 Dr Jamal, Professor, Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology said tap water is used as clean drinking water in developed countries. It is free from all kinds of contaminants. But the water in our homes is not safe to drink.

 "We consider the water available in plastic bottles safe," he said.

 However, the use of plastic has its disadvantages.

 "We need to make tap water safe," he added.