HYDERABAD, Aug 16: The Director-General of Environmental Protection Agency, Sindh, Nasreen Naz Ansari, has expressed satisfaction over steps taken by the district government of Hyderabad to provide clean drinking water to people.

After a briefing by HAD Director-General Tahir Ahmed about the supply of water to people in the wake of the release of contaminated water of the Manchhar Lake into the River Indus, she said that measures, taken by the Manchhar Lake Water Release Committee under the leadership of District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil were praiseworthy.

Tahir Ahmed said that under instructions from the district nazim, a team of experts was sent to the Manchhar Lake to analyse the quality of water and on the recommendations of the team, it was decided to release water from the Manchhar Lake into the River Indus at the ratio of 1 over 50 (1000 cusec of Manchhar water is equal to 50,000 cusecs of Indus water).

In addition to this, he said the Wasa has also been directed to carry out laboratory tests of water in its own laboratory as well as other laboratories every four-hour to test the quality of water which was being supplied to people.

He said that the Wasa has already made arrangements to store water in its reservoirs for five days to meet any emergency.

He said that water coming from mountains entering the Manchhar Lake through the Nai Gaaj has also considerably diluted the lake water.

He said that the water flow in the River Indus was also increasing with the passage of each day and added that the situation was under control and people were being supplied clean drinking water.

Ms Ansari said that she was directed by the Sindh chief secretary to visit Hyderabad and take stock of the situation and review steps taken by the district government for providing clean drinking water to the people.