800mn being spent on diseases erupt through contaminated water: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Wednesday said $800 million were being spent per annum on the diseases which breakout through contaminated water.

During meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology, the minister said that the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) had established 26 water testing laboratories in the country by spending Rs 100 billion.

Chaudhry Fawad said that in 2015, the staff of laboratories was sacked from services and the laboratories had to be closed but the present government reinstated the said employees during the last month.

The minister said that PCRWR was established in 1964 when nobody even think about that there would be water issue in the country, adding that the PCRWR had done a great job but unfortunately its work and services could not get projection.

He said that Punjab government had spent Rs 880 million without conducting research for clean drinking water but the extracted water was salted and resultantly the funds were wasted.

The minister said that the government was going to launch degree on water studies through NAVTEC, adding that there was lack of cooperation between research and institutions.

Chaudhry Fawad revealed that the water being provided in Minister Enclave and Government Hostels was 100 percent contaminated.

He urged to execute the projects but not waste the national money.

Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology Capt (Retd) Nasim Nawaz informed the committee that PCRWR and other institutions also generate their fund.

Nasim Nawaz said that research was continued but due to non availability of funds from the federal government its pace has gone slow.

Engr Usman Khan Tarakai said that the rivers in our country only bring destruction and we have nothing more with the canal system which had introduced by the British rulers.

Chairman PCRWR Dr Aslam Tahir told the committee that the mineral water which was being sold in the country was not a mineral water indeed, adding that 18 percent drinking water in rural areas was safe.

He said that PCRWR was focusing on water quality and water management, urging the need to construct more dams as in the floods of 2010, around 54 million acre feet water in to the sea and we have only 14 million acres feet capacity of water storage.

Dr Aslam Tahir said science and technology has not enough budget and the PCRWR was trying its level best to get budget for research but failed.

He said that the authority has started to make national database and Pakistan has 200 parameters which was not have any Islamic country.

Chairman PCRWR revealed that 91 districts of the country do not have water testing laboratories.

The committee met under the chairmanship of Sajid Mehdi which was attended by Engr Usman Khan Tarakai, Sobia Kamal Khan, Samina Matloob, Mukhtar Ahmed and senior officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology.