Sindh Water Commission (SWC) on Thursday directed Pakistan Standard & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to collect samples of bottled drinking water from the hospitals of Sindh after it was informed that lives of patients have been put at risk due to supply of unsafe water.
The commission directed Director General (DG) PSQCA to collect all the samples of the bottled drinking water from the hospitals of Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta, Kotri & Jamshoro, where water is supplied or provided by the contractors with details of the contracts and owners of the companies and after their analysis a report shall be submitted to the commission.
During the proceedings of the commission, headed by former judge of Supreme Court Justice Amir Hani Muslim, the DG PSQCA told that a company in Sukhur was given license but the license was not renewed nor was such renewal sought. Since then it is running the business unauthorized. The owner of the company conceded his lapse.
He, however, assured to approach the DG PSQCA for getting license after fulfillment of the codal formalities. In the intervening period, he gave undertaking that he will not run the business and will destroy all the raw or otherwise drinking water bottles.
Referring to a previous hearing, it was told that the DG PSQCA directed his officials to visit Peoples Medical College Hospital Shaheed Benazirabad and collect details as to which companies are supplying bottled drinking water to the hospital.
According to a report, 15 samples were collected from different dispensers which were placed at different wards (and any other major hospital elsewhere) in the province with 19 litre bottled water, of which 04 (27%) found safe while 11 (73%) found unsafe due to presence of coliform bacteria beyond the WHO guideline value.
This is very alarming that "unlicensed bottled drinking water companies" have been awarded contracts by the Hospital putting the patients' life at risk, report pointed and noted that what is most shocking is that the Health Department never cared for providing safe drinking water to the patients and those who visit the hospitals. If the contractors are unlicensed, the action should be taken.
The commission directed Health Secretary to ensure that all the contracts of such nature shall be cancelled where the bottled drinking water supply companies are not registered with the PSQCA.
This action shall be taken forthwith by notifying the Medical Superintendents or any other official who is responsible for such arrangements within 7 days, the commission stated.
The DG PSQCA submitted in the commission that they need support of the district administration for the purpose of inspecting different places where the fake companies are operating in Sindh.
The commission directed Chief Secretary and IGP Sindh to provide protection to PSQCA so that it can function smoothly without any hindrance from any quarter.