HYDERABAD, Nov 24: The Environmental Protection Agency, Sindh, has sent 48 samples of water of the River Indus collected from different sites to its environmental monitoring laboratory in Karachi for analysis.

The checking of water quality is a part of the National Drainage Programme.

It was learnt through EPA officials that a pilot project of similar nature had been launched in 2001 but the fresh analysis would be carried out for four times to obtain actual results regarding quality of water of the Indus after disposal of industrial and municipal waste from other provinces into it.

Samples of water were obtained from more than 30 sites, including the Guddu Barrage (Kashmor), Ghulam Mohammad Barrage, Hamal Lake (Larkana), zero point, Manchhar Lake, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Chholri Weir (Badin), Kotri Barrage and Keenjhar Lake.

The officials said the study would enable authorities to prepare "Sindh conservation study" and design water management plans for each city in the province. The data would also be helpful in taking future initiatives and saving the Indus water from being contaminated due to various reasons, he added.

They believed that the Indus water was being polluted by industrial and municipal waste. Waste in Sukkur is being disposed of near the barrage whereas in Hyderabad, it is being drained into the Phulelli Canal by municipal authorities.

An EPA official said the study was also aimed at checking the presence of ingredients of pesticides in water resources. In the Hyderabad region, samples were obtained from 12 different points.