HYDERABAD, Feb 18 A large number of people belonging to Hindu community staged a demonstration outside the press club here on Wednesday in protest against the proposed construction of a dam near a temple in the Hinglaj area of Balochistan.

Dr Roopchand Leelani said that the temple was a place of worship and construction of dam will seriously damage the sacred place. He termed it a conspiracy against Hindu community and appealed to authorities and minorities MNAs and MPAs to intervene and help stop the proposed construction of dam.

The zonal chief of Shri Hinglaj Shiva Mandli, Bhagat Karam Chand said that the temple was thousands of years old and people visit it throughout the year.

He expressed the hope that the government would not allow the construction of dam which could create unrest among Hindu community.

CANNAL Organisers and participants of a walk on Wednesday urged media, civil society and NGOs to launch a joint struggle against disposal of waste and effluent into Phulleli Canal, which was causing hepatitis A, B and C, diarrhea, tuberculosis, cancer and other waterborne diseases among people.

The walk organised by the Javahir-ul-Bukhari Foundation stared from the district council building and reached the press club. The participants including women carried placards and banners. Some of the slogans on the banners read “Stop dumping toxic chemicals of factories and waste into New Phulelli canal, save people from polluted water, supply clean water and save lives”.

The foundation's head Saleem Raza Qureshi said that 70 per cent waste of the city was being dumped into the Phulelli canal including toxic runoff of factories, organic waste of dairy farms as well as blood from slaughterhouses, which was extremely harmful for human health.

He said 50 per cent of the population of the city, which was dependent on canal was suffering from hepatitis A, B and C, diarrhea, tuberculosis, cancer and other diseases.

Mehboob Sangi, Kazi Ashhad Abbasi and Manzoor Hussain Abro said that not only people of Hyderabad but also of Tando Mohammad Khan and Badin districts were suffering from various diseases due to consumption of polluted water. The contaminated water had had a bad impact even on agriculture sector, they said.

SHIA COUNCIL An immediate halt to military operation in tribal areas along with resolution of contentious issues through dialogue was stressed upon by the President Shia Ulema Council, Sindh chapter Allama Baqar Najfi.

He said this during a press conference held in Tando Jehanian on Wednesday and also condemned the attack on a mourning procession in Dera Ghazi Khan. He said these were the people trying to destroy Muslim unity and peace in the country.

He said that both Shia and Sunnis were brothers and as such there existed no difference among them. However, he stated that the government knew the identity of miscreants and urged President, Prime Minister and Army chief to ensure their arrests. Miscreants should be awarded deterrent punishment, he said.