The District Government Hyderabad, under Section 144 Cr. P.C., has imposed ban on dumping of waste and other toxic effluents in the New Phulleli Canal. The canal is the main source to provide water for irrigation and drinking purposes, not only to Hyderabad district, but also to the residents of Tando Muhammad Khan and Badin districts.
The District Nazim Hyderabad Kanwar Naveed Jamil made this announcement in his meeting with the representatives of different NGOs and other stakeholders, currently engaged in prevention of dumping of waste in New Phulleli Canal with the support of UNDP-GEF/SGP.
According to a spokesman of Javahir-ul-Bukhari Foundation (JBF), during the briefing to District Nazim, the Chief Executive Officer, JBF, Saleem Razzak Qureshi informed that New Phulleli Canal begins from Kotri Barrage while passing through Hyderabad and Tando Muhammad Khan districts, it flows into the sea via Badin downstream. The canal was said to be the sole source for the survival of 1.5 million people alongwith aquatic and wildlife besides irrigating 0.1 million acre of agricultural land.
It was observed with concern that despite the importance of the New Phulleli Canal, 70 percent waste and nearly fifteen big toxic drains of Hyderabad and Tando Muhammad Khan found their way into the canal. The toxic effluents included chemicals discharged from factories, dung of more than hundred cattle farms, waste of feed factories, waste of 70 animals slaughtered on daily basis, coupled with other effluents of slaughter houses.
Industries responsible to pollute the canal were said to also include soap factories and units producing ajrak and bangles. The District Nazim, Kanwar Naveed Jamil said he and his team had serious concern about hazards and health threats posed to the people due to pollution of the canal.
He said Hyderabad District Government has recently established three sewage treatment plants including Northern Sewage Treatment Plant near Isra University, Western Sewage Treatment Plant and Southern Treatment Plant while PC-1 has been completed for the fourth one water treatment plant, which will begin soon. He said that all these treatment plants have a total capacity of 24 MGD, which can serve approximately 0.7 million residents whereas the retention period for the treatment is 15 and 25 days in summer and winter, respectively.