BADIN, Oct 29: Speakers at a seminar on Tuesday highlighted the damage to the environment and people’s health caused by release of untreated domestic and industrial waste into the Phuleli canal and other water channels, warning citizens against the danger of consuming this toxic water.

In a seminar, titled ‘Effects of chemical wastage on environment, human health and livelihood’, organised by the Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) and Development and Management Network (DAMN) at the Darbar Hall in Badin, it was pointed out that irrigation and drinking water in canals and other channels is turning murky and has begun giving off a bad odour due to indiscriminate discharge of untreated sewage industrial effluent, and was also consequently giving rise to a number of diseases as well.

The speakers expressed concern over what they described was ‘criminal attitude’ on the part of certain entrepreneurs and factory owners whose units continued to discharge large amounts of effluent into main water bodies.

They pointed out that a fairly large number of people in Badin district and its adjoining areas suffered from skin, respiratory and stomach illnesses caused by environmental pollution and emission of poisonous gases from industries.

Speakers criticized the role of departments concerned and also the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to implement the ban on released untreated sewage into main water channels which put thousands of lives at risk.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Sardar Kamal Khan Chang in his presidential speech expressed great concern over the release of toxic waste from sugar mills and air pollution and termed them as violation of existing environmental laws. He announced forming a five-member committee, to be headed by him, to help resolve the matter.

PPP MPA Allah Bux Talpur said he was glad to see that people had finally woken up to the menace of pollution which remained unchecked.

Badin deputy commissioner Muhammad Rafique Qureshi said that it was not only the responsibility of industrialists to check environmental degradation but people were also equally responsible. Being the district head, he said, he would try to quickly address these problems.

Meanwhile, EPA assistant director for the Hyderabad region, Imran Abbasi, informed the participants that notices had already been issued to authorities concerned for violating environmental laws by disposal of industrial effluent into the Phuleli canal.

He said that cases against sugar mills were also pending before the EPA tribunal.