I WOULD like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the closure of public water ultra-filtration plants since August 2011 installed at two places along the main Qasimabad-Hyderabad Road.

These plants were installed in 2006-07 after the outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and hepatitis in Hyderabad due to supply of polluted drinking water to the city.

Realising the severity of the problem, the government of Sindh, through the ministry of special initiatives and the Public Health Engineering Department, initiated a project called Clean Drinking Water for All in which ultra-filter plants were installed at public places throughout the city from where people fetched water for drinking purpose etc.

The operation and maintenance of these plants were then handed over to the city district government. The operation of these filter plants helped largely to control the outbreak of waterborne diseases in the city, especially during the summer season.

Unfortunately two of the water filter plants located along the main road, Qasimabad, are out of order and are abandoned since August 2011.

Thousands of people of Qasimabad used to fetch their drinking water from these two plants. But due to the closure of these two water filter plants the majority of the people of Qasimabad are compelled to drink polluted water.

Knowing the importance of safe and clean drinking water for human health, I met with the officers concerned of the HDA, Wasa and local/city government officials, but unfortunately none of them is going to own these water filter plants.

Hence, I would like to draw the attention of the higher authorities to carry out operation and maintenance of these water filter plants so that citizens of Qasimabad, Hyderabad, can also have safe drinking water like other citizens of Pakistan.

DR ALTAF ALI SIYAL Hyderabad