THIS is apropos of the news item ‘USAID to provide $60m for municipal services project’ (Jan 29). The project will be launched initially in 14 districts, and Jacobabad, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Garhi Khairo and Qubo Saeed Khan will receive priority.

The Sindh government is fortunate enough to develop a partnership with the US Agency for International Development.

In 2008 the Sindh governmentinitiated an Agricultural Development Bank-funded $400 million projectunder the Sindh Cities Improvement Programme for improving the municipal services in Sukkur, Rohri, Khairpur, Shikarpur and Larkana.

The environmental health and hygiene aspects are missing in both the investment programmes. The two programmes can help achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Sindh, keeping in view the fact that half of the girls drop out of schools in Sindh as they do not have separate latrines; and that the government has to provide clean water to 300,000 people and sanitation to 450,000 people every day for the next 10 years if MDGs targets are to be met.

Current water and sanitation facilities in Sindh are hopeless and, technically, way behind the normally accepted standards.

Recognising access to water and sanitation as a human right means that the people have a legal entitlement to safe drinking water and proper sanitation and the governments have a corresponding obligation to ensure the fulfilment of this right.

F. H. MUGHAL Karachi