RAWALPINDI, July 1: The National Institute of Health (NIH) lacks the facilities to undertake certain water safety tests and post-mortem of aquatic animals, including fish, Dawn has learnt.

The fact surfaced during a recently-held meeting of various environmental agencies and organizations. The meeting was held in the backdrop of the recent heavy fish mortality crisis at the Rawal Lake.

According to the minutes of the meeting provided to Dawn, the NIH executive director, Dr Jalil Kamran, told the participants that the institute did not possess fish post-mortem and water safety tests' facilities.

He said availability of such facilities at the NIH was vital to ensure supply of hygienic water to the citizens of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and to point out the causes affecting aquatic life in the lake.

Responding to a query about the post-mortem of dead fish found in the lake, Dr Amjad Malik, in charge of ICT fisheries department, said he had approached all the departments concerned, including the NARC's Animal Science Institute, and diagnostic lab of Punjab fisheries department, located at Rawal Lake's fish hatchery, but no such facility was available there.

However, he said, samples of lake water and dead fish had been taken to undertake investigation and devise further course of action to deal with the issue. He said entire field staff of the fisheries department had been deployed at Rawal Lake to help the Small Dams Organization (SDO) dispose of dead fish.

Wasa's managing director Brig (retired) Pervez Mehmood Khan expressed his concerns when Pepa's director Ziaul Islam said although, Wasa had provided 10 inspectors to check environmental degradation in the catchment area of the lake, the EPA's laws did not permit taking quick and stern action against the violators in the Bhara Kahu and Phulgran areas.

Mr Islam further said it would take another three to four months to complete legal formalities for submission of challans in the courts against violators. The Wasa MD warned that during the rainy season, solid as well as animal waste would continue to flow into the lake, having serious health implications.

He asked Pepa to act under the emergency sections/clauses of the subject law. He also requested the ICT deputy commissioner to take action against the violators in the catchment area under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code without any further delay.

The SDO representative informed the meeting that only five guards, against the 42 sanctioned posts, were available with the organization, owing to which full security of the dam could not be ensured.

It was also decided that CDA director sanitation Mustafain Kazmi would be requested to provide logistic support for disposal of dead fish and garbage from Rawal Lake to dumping site.

Those who participated in the meeting included officials of Wasa, Rawalpindi Development Authority, Pepa, Pakistan Council For Research in Water Resources, NIH, district government, CDA environment directorate, ICT administration, SDO, Military Engineering Services and the Animal Sciences Institute of the National Agriculture Research Council.