HYDERABAD, Oct 7: The Kotri Association of Trade and Industry has made no serious efforts to establish a plant to treat effluent of industrial units with the result the people of Kotri and different parts of Karachi continue to use contaminated water, sources in the Environment Protect Agency told this correspondent on Tuesday.

It was decided more than one year back that such a plant would be set up in Kotri but the project is yet to be implemented.

It was learnt that two researchers of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology would conduct a study to determine the quality of water of the KB Feeder as the EPA had found that the water was not fit for human consumption.

Lecturer Manzoor Ahmad would monitor the quality of water in the feeder for six months and Irshad Ahmad Bohyo would examine different aspects of the Kotri industrial area where 80 industries are in existence. At different spots, Mr Bohyo would take samples of effluent being discharged from industries.

After completion of the study, the researchers will also design the plant which will be financed by the KATI as per its commitment.

The EPA sources said that the water being supplied to residents of Kotri, kutchi abadis and industrial areas was mixed with domestic and industrial effluent and directly discharged into the KB Feeder.

They said according to an estimate, four and two cubic feet industrial and domestic waste respectively was being discharged into the feeder per second, spreading stomach, skin and kidney diseases. They added that presently the flow of the feeder was much better thus resisting the discharge of waste into it to some extent.

The KB Feeder, a source of fresh water for colonies, educational institutions, parts of Karachi and industrial area, emanates from the Kotri Barrage and is located on the right bank of the River Indus. It not only irrigates lands in Dadu and Thatta districts but also caters to drinking and domestic needs of the people of different areas.

The sources maintained that there were three inlets from where effluent entered the feeder. Hydrant operators also get unfiltered water from the feeder for supplying to residents. The structure built to allow excess water into the KB feeder in case of rains has also been damaged. The irrigation department has not repaired the structure which can prevent waste from being discharged into the fresh water source. The path which could have been used for inspecting the feeder has also been covered by wild bushes, rendering it useless even for pedestrians.

After a meeting on April 1, 2002, the then Sindh governor had called for establishing a waste treatment plant and asked the Dadu district government to coordinate with universities in Jamshoro. The universities were asked to provide technical assistance and share the plant’s cost.

At another meeting held on May 24, 2002, KATI member M. Tariq Baloch claimed that half of Kotri Site industries’ waste went to barren hilly area and to agricultural land and the remaining waste that previously used to go into the KB Feeder had been stopped. He said 100 acres had been acquired near the Sakina farm to dispose of waste. He also claimed that an analysis of industrial waste showed that it did not contain harmful elements.

The chief engineer of Site had said work on the waste water treatment plant would begin on Aug 1 but the work remains to be started.