DADU, May 11: The assistant engineer of the flood protective bund of the Manchhar Lake has said 920 cusecs of water of the lake was released into the River Indus through the Aral Wah on Wednesday. The official, Habibullah Kabooro, told journalists that the level of the lake was declining and it was recorded at 108.85RL near Bubak on Wednesday.

He said water flow at downstream Sukkur Barrage was 43,012 cusecs of water. He said 0.8 inches of water was flowing in the Nai Gaaj. He said water flow in the MNV Drain was 340 to 345 cusecs.

Talking to Dawn, residents of the Jamshoro town, Shaubhan Soomro and Allah Dino regretted that release of contaminated water from the Sandoz Company and the Jamshoro power house into the Indus had not been stopped.

Fishermen of the Manchhar Lake hoped that their fish catch and income would increase when the lake level would decline.

They alleged that officials of the fisheries department were not taking any measures to develop the lake as 12 fish species had become extinct after the release of water of the MNV Drain into Manchhar.

Ghulam Abbas and Ibrahim, residents of the Safee Thalho village near the lake, said due to saline water of the MNV Drain, underground water in villages around the lake had turned saltish.

They said residents of Ahmad Khan, Kutra Jamali, Sakhro, Mohammad Bux Jamali, Sultan, Jan Mohammad Rodhnani, Rajab Jamali, Ismail Jamali, Yousuf and Urs Jamali villages had migrated from their villages due to non-availability of sweet water.