VEHARI, Aug 16: The district jail, constructed with an estimated cost of Rs160 million in June 2005, lacks drinking water facility owing to the negligence of buildings department officials, making it impossible for the prisons department to start shifting prisoners to the jail.

According to a report, an analysis report says the water being provided in the jail is not suitable for drinking washing and even for the household use.

The EDO health, in a report, has recommended that a water filtration and purification plant should be installed at the jail.

The underground water in the entire city is not fit for drinking, and the dwellers have been getting water from the turbines installed at the banks of the Pakpattan canal after its filtration.

After the completion of the jail building when the jail staff took charge, they came to know about the situation and reported the matter to the high-ups. The buildings department officers visited the jail and realised their mistake.

Later on, a committee headed by the Multan DIG prisons visited the jail, and recommended Rs8.32 million for the provision of safe drinking water and some other missing facilities at the jail. The funds are yet to be released by the competent authority.

It is to be mentioned here that the installation of a water filtration plant again has not been included in it.

It is feared it may take over a year to provide clean drinking water facility at the jail, and consequently, the jail cannot be functional for yet another year.

Social circles have demanded that action should be taken against the elements who have made such a blunder which caused a delay in the functioning of the jail.

Currently 110 wardens are working in the jail, and they drink water supplied by a vehicle from outside the jail.