DADU, Feb 1: Drinking water has become almost unfit for human consumption as arsenic ratio in water in Dadu district stands at 500ppb much against the WHO and PCWSR limits which are fixed at 10 to 20ppb and 50 ppb respectively.

This was stated by speakers at a workshop held here on Sunday to assess the USAID-funded Pakistan Safe Drinking Water project in the district.

Civil Surgeon Dadu Dr Taufiq Ahmed Memon said that 25 per cent hygiene problems had been dealt with, though not at a satisfactory level, while 75 per cent had not been addressed. He said that most of the people in the district faced lack of sanitation in their households and streets which caused many diseases.

Taluka Nazim Dadu, Najeebullah Panhwar said that sanitation and hygiene would be the focus of budget of his taluka and many initiatives will be taken for solving the sanitation problem.

Executive Director, JORDAN Bakht Jamal said that 10 per cent water available to people was just ‘drinkable’ which may not be recommended any way, while the remaining 90 per cent was contaminated and harmful.

The workshop was attended by all the stakeholders, including doctors, parents, religious scholars, media persons, public representatives, NGOs, TMA staff, etc.

Hygiene Promotion Project implemented by an NGO, JORDAN in two talukas, i.e. Johi and Dadu, in this district.

The coordinator of the NGO’s project Khadim Hussain gave a comprehensive presentation highlighting many aspects of project implementation like advocacy and orientation sessions with community and doctors, theatre performances, BCC material, etc. He said that the project focused on changing behaviour of the communities regarding health and hygiene issues.

Nazim UC Johi Ghulam Qadir Babbar said that he was not informed about the status of the water filter plant installed in Johi by the government. ghost teachers: Sindh Minister for Education, Pir Mazharul Haq has said warned the ghost teachers to perform their duties properly within 15 days, or face termination from their services. He said that action also will be taken against education officers of concerned districts if they failed to implement his directives and did not report to him about ghost teachers on daily basis.

He was speaking at a public gathering at three days education fair which was organised by an NGO Mehran Development Organization at Pilot High School ground here on Saturday night .

The minister said that figure of closed schools in the country was 15,000, while in Sindh it was 7,500. He said that education officers had submitted him incorrect information about closed schools.