HYDERABAD, May 1 The district government has started the construction of four sewage treatment plants eastern, western, northern and southern to eliminate water pollution, District Nazim Hyderabad Kanwar Naveed Jamil has said.

He was speaking to a delegation of the Badin Development and Research Organisation (BDRO) at his secretariat here on Thursday.

He said the sewage water of Hyderabad was being disposed of in Phulelli canal and river Indus as a result of which the people living downstream were forced to drink polluted water, which was spreading many diseases.

Realising the magnitude of this problem, the district government had decided to construct four sewage treatment plants, the district nazim said.

He informed the delegation that northern sewage treatment plant on the National Highway, behind Isra university, had been completed. It was spread over 142 acres of land, he added, saying that the plant had the capacity to make 8MGD sewage water fit for irrigation.

He said the work on the Sehrish Nagar treatment plant, Qasimabad, which was spread over 160 acres of land, was continue at a hectic pace. He said that plant had the capacity of 2MGD, which would cost Rs400 million.

About the northern sewage treatment plant, Kanwar Naveed Jamil said it was the first of its type in Pakistan. An English company had designed it to treat polluted water without using any chemicals, he said, adding that it would cost Rs400 million.

He said the district government was making efforts to prevent discharge of dirty water into river Indus. He said another sewage plant was under the active consideration of the government to check the disposal of sewage water in Phulelli canal.

He also informed the delegation that the people of Hyderabad were getting filtered water which was being drawn from the lined channel.

The members of the delegation lauded the efforts of the district government. They praised Kanwar Naveed Jamil for banning discharge of dirty water in Phulelli canal and Akram wah.

The delegation included Mohammad Khan Samoon, Saleem Raza Qureshi, and Assistant Professor Tandojam of research study the UNDP, Mohammad Ismail Kumbhar.

The members of the delegation informed the district nazim that BDRO was working in different sectors which included health, education, women development and environment.

Later, the delegation visited sewage treatment plants.