ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: The government has approved a Rs35.8 million arsenic monitoring and mitigation project for provision of clean drinking water, an official source told Dawn.

Funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the project would be executed by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) within 36 months after the commencement of work.

Arsenic contaminates water through dissolution of minerals and ores, while its concentration in ground water in some areas can increase as a result of rock erosion.

Arsenic problem in Pakistan was traced through field-testing and a number of investigations on arsenic in ground water of Attock and Rawalpindi districts from 2000-2004. The tests were conducted under joint studies by PCRWR and the United Nations Children Fund.

The source said the data collected through the national water quality monitoring programme of PCRWR programme 2001-04 had also revealed the presence of arsenic at some locations or cities in Punjab and Sindh.

The situation in southern Punjab and central Sindh is also alarming and somewhat similar to that of Bangladesh, considering the socio-economic background of rural areas, the source said.

The ground water pollution caused by arsenic in different countries has created a major environmental and health crisis.

According to a recent study, 30 per cent of the total population of Pakistan has access to drinking water provided by local water providers of public sector. Out of these consumers of public sector water supply schemes, 80 per cent were bound to face the threat of contamination that could have a serious impact on people's health.

Recently, PCRWR has also developed low-cost arsenic removal techniques like clay-pitcher, plastic gravity flow and ceramic cartridge. But monitoring of over six months indicated that clay- pitcher arsenic removal filter was the most feasible technology.

The project includes survey for arsenic contamination in Punjab and Sindh. Research would also be conducted for the identification of causes of arsenic in ground water, and to develop solutions. Besides, small-scale arsenic analysis laboratories would also be established in affected areas. Information about the quality of water would be disseminated to the people through print and electronic media.

The clay-pitcher filters would be used for arsenic mitigation at household level under the project. Each unit would serve the purpose of about six to seven people for a period of six months. Training to end users (beneficiaries) to operate the pitcher unit would be given through training camps, broachers and electronic media.

PCRWR will involve the end users in the arsenic mitigation through local governments, authorities and NGOs already working in the field.

Section 94 (I), sixth schedule of the local bodies ordinance, 2002 suggests that the local governments concerned should provide clean drinking water in their respective areas.