August 11, 2008	Monday	Sha’aban 8, 1429

HYDERABAD, Aug 10: Eminent water technologist Dr Mohammad Ehsan Siddiqui has said that due to the increase of mercury in Manchhar Lake, people of the area are suffering from different fatal diseases and have been financially destroyed.

He said that not only mercury but arsenic and other dangerous chemicals were present in the Manchhar Lake which could lead to blindness and brain diseases.

He said the poisonous water could also destroy the fertility of land.

He was delivering a lecture on the subject of “Mercury Poisoning in Drinking Water” organised by the Fundamental Rights Commission Pakistan and the University of East here on Saturday.

He appreciated the efforts of the Hyderabad district government for taking timely steps to ensure that less quantity of Manchhar lake water be released into the Indus River to ensure the quality of water.

He said the water of the lake was being released into Indus at the ratio of one to fifty (1:50) which was being analysed after every four hours to ensure that people of Hyderabad and adjoining areas were being supplied water according to World Health Organisation’s specifications.

He said the district nazim of Hyderabad, Kanwar Naveed Jamil, was personally keeping an eye on the quality of water.

Dr Siddiqui said that the release of effluent in natural lakes is very dangerous practice and added that after Manchhar Lake, Kalari Lake was also on the verge of destruction.

He said the entire effluent of the Kotri industrial site was being released in the

KB Feeder as a result the population of Karachi was also being forced to consume contaminated water. He urged the Karachi city government to adopt preventive measures in this regard.

He said there were times when the fishermen of Manchhar Lake were considered as rich and prosperous but due to the release of the poisonous water in the lake they had now been financially destroyed.

He said a water plant could be installed at Manchhar Lake at a cost of Rs100 million but no government had paid any attention to this human issue.

He said if the government failed to pay proper attention to its natural water resources the agricultural production would be greatly affected adding that Pakistan was already facing food crisis.