May 25, 2004

Islamabad: Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) has emphatically urged the Sindh Government to immediately take all possible steps to contain the deaths and spread of lethal diseases being caused by the supply of poisonous drinking water in areas of lower Sindh, particularly Hyderabad. CRCP expressed concerns over the gross neglect of duties by the authorities and supply of water containing high magnitude of extremely toxic substances which caused more than 10 deaths and hundreds of people suffering from gastroenteritis, diarrhea and vomiting.

Referring to this alarming situation of water toxicity, Mian Abrar Hafeez, Secretary General CRCP, said that this calamity was the result of negligence by the officials of Irrigation Department, Hyderabad Development Authority, WASA and Local Bodies. Giving background of the problem, he mentioned that Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) Project was planned in early 1990s to drain out poisonous water into Manchar Lake and ultimately into the Indus. However, it could not be implemented due to lethargic attitude of administration. With no other option available, Manchar Lake continued to receive 600 cusecs of toxic water every day with the result that its whole aqua culture is damaged with no living flora and fauna. Every year, irrigation department used to release water in Indus during the month of April in order to raise underground water to meet the essential water needs of the people. However, no such action was taken this year with the result that poisonous substances got accumulated into the water. When released to Indus, it began to adversely affect the consumers at large.

Mian Abrar Hafeez said that many experts forecast likelihood of toxicity in water in Manchar Lake and the possible consequence that could emerge due to its consumption. However, concerned departments did not pay much attention to them and let the citizens of the area consume water having toxic elements in high magnitude. CRCP Secretary General demanded stern action against those who showed gross neglect of duties. He said that provision of clean and safe drinking water to citizens should constitute top priority in the development agenda of the government.

Mr. Abrar Hafeez further said that the issue of access to clean water was related to broader discourse of consumer protection, which has hitherto remained a neglected area. In the absence of a consumer protection law, the consumers did not have an adequate forum where they could register their complaints about provision of contaminated water by the civic agencies and bottled water industry and seek redressal for grievance. He mentioned that with the lobbying efforts of CRCP and other civil society groups and stakeholders, the state of consumer protection legislation was well at the advance stage in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. There exist Islamabad Consumer Protection Act 1995 and NWFP Consumer Protection Act 1997 for the Islamabad capital territory and NWFP province, but their rules of business still remain to be notified. Mr. Hafeez demanded of the government authorities to give top priority to the issue of safe drinking water.