HYDERABAD, July 20: Army authorities in the district have decided to monitor utilization of Rs120 million fund, allocated by the Sindh government, for immediate improvement in the water supply system of Hyderabad.

Sources told this correspondent here on Tuesday that the decision was taken at a meeting presided over by General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Tariq Masud. It was learnt that the army team, supposed to monitor improvement of the water supply system, would be notified soon.

The meeting noted that consultancy services should be hired before initiating the work, which included desilting of water lagoons, their fencing and upgradation of filter plants.

A participant of the meeting said tenders for undertaking the development work had been floated in newspapers. The amount of Rs120 million had been allocated to Hyderabad following recent crisis of water contamination in the city, which claimed lives of 42 persons. The Sindh government has released Rs70 million of the fund.

The GOC was given a briefing on expected expenditures on desilting, repair of chlorinators, maintenance and procurement of machinery and procurement of alum and chlorine for the Water and Sanitation Agency's filter plant.

From the fund of Rs120, Wasa authorities have earmarked Rs51.264 million for desilting of settling tanks and lagoons. The work is to be completed in three months. The procurement of chlorinators will cost Rs12.040 million, repair and procurement of machinery Rs44.266 million and Rs5.481 million will be spent on procurement of alum and chlorine.

The rehabilitation of the water supply network will cost Rs6.949 million. An amount Rs38.880 million, Rs1.806 million, Rs5.082 million and Rs5.496 million will be spent on desilting of lagoons on the Jamshoro Road, Hussainabad, Paretabad and Hala Naka, respectively, in two to four months.

Three each chlorinators will be installed at Hussainabad and Latifabad water works at a cost of Rs2.250 million. Likewise, three each chlorinators will be installed at Paretabad and Hala Naka water works and four at an old treatment plant at a cost of Rs8.5 million.

The meeting was attended by the station commander and other army officers, DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed, District Naib Nazim Nawab Rashid Ali Khan, City Taluka Nazim Moinuddin Shaikh, Qasimabad Taluka Nazim Noor Mohammad Shoro and others.