HYDERABAD, May 17: The Hyderabad Development Authority has expressed concern over the release of contaminated water of the Manchhar Lake into the River Indus without any prior information.

An HDA spokesman, in a statement issued here on Monday, said that 40 per cent population of Hyderabad city and its suburban areas consumed untreated water obtained from the river.

The spokesman said that about 450 people, including women and children, had been hospitalised in Latifabad due to consumption of contaminated water and added that the people living downstream Kotri Barrage faced a similar risk.

He warned that the water posed a health risk to the people living on both sides of the river. He pointed out that the managements of the Lakhra and Jamshoro powerhouses had announced that the water was not suitable even for power generation.

He said that it was necessary that more water was released in the River Indus from the Sukkur Barrage to minimize its poisonous effects.

HESCO: A senior Wapda engineer, Syed Adeebul Hassan, has assumed the charge of chief executive of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company. In his introductory meeting with the Hesco officials, he said that he would give priority to ensure uninterrupted power supply and to provide maximum facilities to consumers.

He said the duration of power shutdowns should be reduced and the problem of voltage fluctuation resolved. He appealed to consumers to get legal power connections and pay bills on time, making it clear that no leniency would be observed with power thieves.

Seminar: The department of anaesthesiology, intensive care and pain management, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, organized a seminar on "acute and chronic pain management" on Sunday.

Dr Ghulam Mustafa Qazi, Dr Ghulam Nabi Memon, Prof Mohammad Saleem of the Islamic Medical College, Rawalpindi, and Col Asif Gul Kiyani of the CMH, Multan, delivered lectures on the subject.

The university's Society of Surgeons of Pakistan also organized a seminar on "medical errors" on Sunday. Speaking at the seminar, the vice-chancellor stressed the need for identifying and correcting errors in medical practice.

Prof Abdul Sattar Memon, Dr Altaf Talpur, Dr Faisal Ghani Siddiqui and other surgeons read their papers on the occasion. Vice-chancellor Prof Jan Mohammad Memon presided over both the seminars.

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