‘Manchar Lake’s polluted water needs to be diluted’

Committee expresses apprehension over releasing 20,000 cusecs of polluted water from Manchar to Indus.

HYDERABAD: A committee formed to monitor the release of water from Manchar Lake to River Indus has expressed apprehension over releasing 20,000 cusecs of polluted water from the lake into the river while the cleaner floodwater being released downstream from Sukkur Barrage to the river is just 16,000 cusecs.

The committee has recommended the relevant authority release at least 35,000 cusecs downstream from Sukkur Barrage in an effort to dilute the acidic water of Manchar Lake and make it safe for consumption.

This recommendation was passed in a meeting held by District Administrator Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri at Shahbaz Hall on Tuesday evening. District Administrator Thatta, district officers from Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan and Jamshoro districts, water expert Dr Ahsan Siddiqui and the WASA MD attended the meeting and took part in the deliberations.

They were informed that the total dissolved salts level of the water in the River Indus has touched a dangerous level of 500 and if it rises, the river water will not be fit for use.

The magnesium level in the Indus has already crossed 100 mg per litre and it is essential that the water being discharged downstream from Sukkur Barrage be increased.

The water flow upstream from the barrage is around 52,000 cusecs.

Khatri said this is not only Hyderabad’s problem but people of all districts downstream of Kotri Barrage could be affected.

He also directed the WASA authorities to monitor the supply of water to residents of Hyderabad and to ensure that the water being provided was safe for human consumption.

Dr Ahsan Siddiqui also said that increasing the water flow downstream from Sukkur Barrage was the only way to solve the problem. He said that the water being supplied to Hyderabad was being tested at seven places after every four hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2010.