July 07, 2008	Monday	Rajab 3, 1429

HYDERABAD, July 6: Manchhar Lake water will be released into the Indus River on Monday at the ratio of 1-40 (1000 cusec of lake water into 40,000 cusec of river water) so as to keep the quality of water within the standards of health and hygiene.

This was announced by District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil here on Saturday.

The nazim said at a meeting with the officials of irrigation department, Hyderabad Develop-ment Authority, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and water technologist’s team on Saturday that the lake water would be released after examining test report of water samples taken from eight different points of the lake.

He informed the meeting that in light of analysis report of water samples of the lake and the river prepared by water technologist Dr Mohammad Ehsan Siddiqui and his team the meeting decided to release one per cent of the lake water into 40 per cent of the river water.

He said that the water technologist and irrigation officials would be present at the time of release of lake water on Monday at 11am at the Aral Wah, and oversee lake water being released into the river after tests and in accordance with the agreed formula.

A laboratory had already been established in Sehwan for the purpose, which would collect samples every four hours for analysis to ensure quality of river water, he said.

He said that water samples would also be taken from Jamshoro upstream, KB Feeder downstream and two other places every four hours to be extra sure about quality of water.

He directed the officials concerned to provide foolproof security to the survey field staff and directed Wasa to store enough water in all the lagoons of filter plants.

He directed the director general of HDA to monitor performance of Wasa officials and asked Wasa officials to keep their wireless sets switched on and in working order round the clock.

DCO Ali Ahmed Lund, HDA Director General Altaf Hussain Memon, SE Zahid Hussain Junejo, Wasa MD Mohammad Basheer Awan, director of public health Dr Masood Ahmed Solangi, water technologist Dr Mohammad Ehsan Siddiqui and a large number of senior officers of the departments concerned attended the meeting.

EDUCATION: District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil announced on Saturday that 100 more government-run Urdu/Sindhi medium schools would be converted into English medium schools during the academic year of 2008-09.

He said at a meeting with officials of the education department at his secretariat that the district government had allocated more than 60 per cent of its budget for education sector. Since 2006, 110 government-un Urdu and Sindhi medium schools had been converted into English medium, he said.

He reminded the officers that their duty was not only to teach but also to monitor the affairs of the department in order to improve the standard of education.

He announced rewards for the boys and girls of government schools who had secured good marks and urged the students to join the race for positions.