HYDERABAD, May 20: Officials of the Environment Protection Agency and Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority collected samples of water of the Manchhar Lake on Thursday and Wednesday to study the environmental impact of polluted water.

EPA administrative in charge Mashood Siddiqui collected samples from the A.D. Baloch camp of the Right Bank Outfall Drain where the Aral Wah emptied the Manchhar Lake's poisonous water into the Indus River.

The official found that conductivity of the Manchhar Lake's water was 3,500 part per million. He also made inquiries as to how and under whose directives poisonous water of the Manchhar Lake was released in a fresh water river.

He was informed by a foreman of the irrigation department that the regulator of the Aral Wah was opened on the directive of the chief executive engineer, Habib Kaboro. Officials of the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority also collected samples from Aral and Danister Wah.

Sida's deputy director on environment Nasir Leghari visited the levee and obtained samples from the two canals which link the Manchhar Lake with the River Indus. It might be mentioned that toxic water was released from the Aral Wah into the Indus River whereas the Danister Wah remained closed.

Mr Leghari noted that the regulator of the Aral Wah had been closed but the saline water was entering the river due to seepage. He also collected samples from the Akram Wah of the Kotri barrage.

OUR BUREAU ADDS: The Water and Sewerage Agency managing- director here on Thursday said that the irrigation department released 10,000 cusecs of water from the Guddu Barrage that reached the Kotri Barrage some time in the afternoon.

He, however, said that the WASA had conducted a test at about 3pm that showed no significant improvement in the quality of the river water. He said the report showed turbidity at 500, pH value at 8.5, electric conductivity at 2025, hardness at 400, chlorides at 445, and TDS at 1336.

Meanwhile, a source at the Kotri Barrage said that only 650 cusecs of additional water had reached the barrage by afternoon and added that no water had been released downstream.