KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has directed departments concerned to ensure supply of clean water across the province as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

The chief minister, who was presiding over a meeting regarding provision of clean water to the people of province, also directed the secretaries of the irrigation and environment departments to not allow release of industrial effluent into the Indus, any canal or sea.

“It [sewage] must be treated before releasing anywhere,” he said, asking them to make a comprehensive plan on a priority basis and also take all stakeholders into confidence.

He also directed the chiefs of the water and sanitation agency (Wasa) and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to make the water distribution system safe and efficient and also evolve a regular inspection system to ensure proper implementation of the standard operating procedures — such as like mixing of chlorine in water as per requirement, cleansing of storage ponds and timely maintenance of sewerage system — to bring improvement in the clean water supply system.

The CM also directed all departments concerned that he would also pay surprise visits to the water distribution system and treatment of municipal, industrial and hospital wastes and would tolerate no lapse on their part.

He also instructed the health department to install new incinerators and repair or restore the old ones so that the hospital waste could also be disposed as per international standards.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Manzoor Wassan, Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, secretaries Jamal Shah, Ramzan Awan, Tameez Khero and the managing directors of the water board.

Strict measures to stop cheating in exams

The chief minister on Sunday also sent an open letter to the parents of all students appearing in the secondary and higher secondary school examinations, which are scheduled to be held from March 28.

In the letter, he emphasised the need of taking examinations, which he said was an important step in shaping up the academic lives and future of the students.

He, however, said that it was brought to his knowledge that many students adopted unfair means in the exams and in order to curb the trend of cheating he had issued directives to the administration to take stern action against this menace as using unfair means could not be tolerated.

“Teachers will be taking corrective measures to stop cheating and all those found involved shall be dealt with harshly, and penalties imposed on all, including invigilator and staff members.”

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2017