13 June 2004	Sunday	24 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

HYDERABAD, June 12: A visiting joint team of the WHO and Unicef expressed dissatisfaction over water supply system of the city from Wasa water lagoons to filter plant , DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed told this correspondent on Friday night.

The team called for step by step monitoring of water before it was supplied.

The team members included WHO Adviser on Rural Environment and Health Dr Hamed Al Bakir, Technical Officer Dr Amir Elahi Johri, chief of Unicef's Water and Environment Sector Mohammad El-Fatih Yousaf, and also Dr Aslam Tahir of the Pakistan Council of Research for Water Resources.

The visits of the team is in continuation of a visit paid by the WHO's Country Representative, Khalif Bile Mohamud. and Epidemiologist Dr Faizullah Kakar.

The team members visited water works, filter plant and water lagoons and finalised their observations and recommendations to be sent to the world bodies. The team also went to Hala Naka and Paretabad water works where no filter plant existed.

The DCO said that the team observed that multiple checking of water would make it easy to check quality of water and whether it was treated with chlorine.

The teams members were of the view that temporarily the problem could be tackled but in case there was permanent absence of filter plants then outbreak of water-borne disease in future could not be ruled out

The DCO said that the team also noted that filter plants should be based on canals and water should not be directly lifted from the river.

He said that the visiting officials also called for educating people about use of hygienic water and methods for treating water.

The DCO said that the officials called for posting of professional people with expertise in water field at filter plants.

A team member said that the WHO and Unicef officials also considered an option of sponsoring a filter plant in Hyderabad by the WHO.

EPA TEAM: The Environmental Protection Agency officials visited the Manchhar lake in Dadu district on Friday.

They conducted a survey to find out possibilities whether effluent of the Main Nara Valley drain could be treated by the EPA before being discharged into the lake to save it from destruction.

The team was led by EPA Director Iqbal Nafees Khan, administrative in charge Mashood Ahmed and water expert Ahsan Irfan.

Mr Khan told this correspondent that the EPA would see whether anything could be done to reduce the load of effluent in the lake.