HYDERABAD, Oct 28: The irrigation authorities have stopped releasing Manchhar Lake’s water into the Indus River following the recommendation by water technologist Dr Mohammad Ahsan Siddiqui of the National Centre of Excellence and Analytical Chemistry, Sindh University, not to release the water as Sukkur downstream flow of water was insufficient and parameters of water might cross certain limits at any time.

The technologist was informed by his staff that the release of water had been stopped at 1am. He said that a fresh analysis of water revealed that the TDS (total dissolved salts) were recorded at 389mg/L, mercury at 0.21PPB (part per billion), magnesium at 37mg, calcium at 85mg and chloride at 59mg.

He made the recommendation on Friday after he apprehended that safe parameters were required to be maintained for drinking water may cross limit at any time and flows from Sukkur downstream were not enough for dilution of Manchhar Lake’s water in the Indus River.

Dr Siddiqui had been testing quality of water on a four hourly basis near a place called Dera Ashraf, five kilometres away from the spot where the lake’s water is mixed with the river’s water.