DADU: Retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim, head of the one-man Supreme Court-mandated water commission, on Monday inspected water supply and sewerage installations in the district and expressed his anger over absence of officers concerned and unchecked release of sewage and toxic runoff of industries into canals and natural storm water drains.

Justice Muslim visited Dadu Canal and under-construction water supply scheme in the city and expressed his anger when he found the town’s sewage being released into the canal and garbage being dumped into it.

A local Rab Dino complained to the judge during his visit that people consuming highly contaminated canal water were contracting various waterborne diseases and demanded supply of clean and fresh water to them.

Justice Muslim directed district session judge to resolve the issue and send him a report. Dadu Civil Judge Gul Mohammad Brohi informed the judge that he would submit to him a report on the construction of Phaka Shakh from RD 0 to RD-7.

Sajid Hussain Bhutto, superintending engineer (SE) of the irrigation department briefed Justice Muslim about Dadu Canal and showed him around ponds for supply of potable water to the city.

SE public health engineering Abdul Wahhab briefed about the ponds and Justice Muslim asked him why the ponds were still incomplete. The official replied that work on Rs800 million scheme was going on and thus far two ponds had been completed.

Justice Muslim noticed discolouration in pond water and the official informed him that it was caused by mixing of potash alum with the water to purify it.

The judge asked who maintained accounts of purchase and use of potash alum and the SE said it was the responsibility of municipal committee’s storekeeper. The judge then directed the official to submit the bills to the commission and call the storekeeper.

Justice Muslim asked about absence of chairman of Dadu municipal committee and deputy commissioner Raja Shah Zaman Khuhro informed him that the chairman being a cardiac patient had gone to hospital after informing him.

Justice Muslim expressed anger over absence of town municipal officer who had also failed to show up.

Earlier, the commission visited Nooriabad and directed factories’ owners not to release toxic runoff into natural storm water drain, Nai. He held meetings with owners of factories and expressed great displeasure over unchecked release of toxic effluent into the drain. He directed civil judge and judicial magistrate of Thano Bula Khan, which encompassed Noori­abad, to visit the factories and submit a report on release of toxic effluent into the drain.

Justice Muslim directed all officers concerned to find another source to divert the toxic runoff into it and save the drain from getting polluted.

Justice Muslim later went to Thano Bula Khan and inspected its water supply plants. He noticed the plant was not functioning and directed town committee chairman to start it within two days and report the commission.

He also directed him to stop water leakages in the town and make arrangements to dump sewage and garbage outside of the city.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2018