HYDERABAD, June 5: The police on Friday registered a case against officials allegedly responsible for supply of contaminated water to the city as another infant died of gastroenteritis taking the toll to 30 here.
The Market police booked Hyderabad Development Authority director-general Ali Ahmed Lund, Water and Sanitation Agency managing director Kafil Ahmed Khanzada, health EDO Agha Tariq and Sukkur Barrage chief engineer Ghulam Nabi under sections 316, 270 and 166, PPC, and 337 (j) Qisas and Diyat Ordinance.
Market SHO Rao Amir Iqbal told journalists that the case had been registered under the directive of the Sindh government after an inquiry was conducted into casualties caused by consumption of contaminated water.
He said that poisonous water from the Manchhar lake had been discharged into the Indus river under instructions of the chief engineer, Sukkur Barrage, and the water was supplied by the HDA and Wasa to the residents due to criminal negligence of the then HDA DG Lund and Wasa MD Khanzada.
The officials despite deaths caused by consumption of polluted water kept supplying the water to the residents which multiplied casualties, the SHO said.
He said that EDO Tariq failed to provide proper medical care to the patients and take emergency measures in the government hospitals.
The officials committed criminal act which resulted in loss of several lives, the FIR stated.
Earlier, these officials were removed from their posts and asked to report to the Services and General Administration department after Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakal Kazi submitted a report to the chief minister on last Saturday.
Mr Lund told this correspondent that the HDA had nothing to do with the supply of contaminated water as Wasa was an autonomous body.
He alleged that only those officials had been punished who did not wield any political influence.
He said that the matter should be investigated by a committee of superior judiciary to fix the responsibility.
Adds Our Correspondent: Meanwhile, an 11-month-old infant died of gastroenteritis in the Civil Hospital's paediatrics ward here, raising death toll to 30 in the city since May 15.
The latest victim was identified as Kaka, son of Dileep, resident of Tando Wali Mohammad.