THATTA, June 1: The intensified obstructions in releasing at least 10MAF (million acre feet) water to the Indus downstream Kotri was one of the unspecified cause of under and on-ground water contamination - a future health threat for the population of coastal districts of Thatta and Badin.

This was observed at a workshop on "After effects of contaminated water and our existence" organized by the People's Doctors Forum at a hotel here on Monday. Sindh PDF chief Dr Karim Khawja presided over the workshop, while PPP district president Syed Masood Mustafa Shah was the chief guest.

Jaleel Memon, former MNA, Baboo Ghulam Hussain, former MPA, Dr Wahid Soomro, Rabia Palijo, Dr Ismail Palijo and others also spoke on the occasion.

Dr Karim Khwaja, author of a number of books on coastline and its problems, said that as per random soil tests carried out by the Department of Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, under the supervision of Prof Khuhawar in 1997 and followed by a team of the UN in the year 2000, the upstream dissoluble solids were within safe limits, while in downstream, right from Kotri to Keti Bunder within 20km stretch of the Indus river, the proportion of dissoluble solids was 3,200 PPM as against the maximum bearable limit of 1,500 PPM.

He said that non-release of sweet water to downstream Kotri, for the last many years, was a clear violation of the 1991 water accord as a result of which 8,000 square kilometres delta has been ruined, about 1,15,000 fishermen have migrated, about 1.2 million fertile land has been intruded by sea water, badly affecting irrigated plantations measuring some 82,000 hectares, including the riverine forests, hampering 345,000 hectares i.e. 2.45 per cent of the total land area of mangroves besides rising the underground water level and growing the graph of hyper salinity in the district.

Expressing concern over the disclosures of contentions of arsenic above the WHO guideline of 10 parts per billion (PPB), he said this would lead to the onset of various diseases.

He said if adequate measures were not adopted, viral and bacterial infectious and parasitic waterborne diseases would grip the already poverty-stricken population of the district, which was 40 per cent below poverty line.

He said a survey conducted by the PDF revealed that respiratory tract infection, dysentery, diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis-A, B and E were on high rise in Thatta and Badin districts.

According to WHO's recent report, Dr Karim said an outbreak of hepatitis-E was expected in Hyderabad and other parts of lower Sindh and 20 per cent of mothers would be affected.

Syed Masood Mustafa Shah said Sindh was passing through its most crucial days of water crises but the rulers were planning to build controversial Kalabagh dam and Greater Thal Canal projects.

He said those responsible for releasing poisonous water from the Manchhar Lake were murderers of innocent people and the government should register murder case against them.

Dr Wahid Soomro held senior government functionaries responsible for the loss of human lives due to water contamination and called for institution of criminal cases against them.

Through a number of resolutions adopted unanimously, speakers called for release of atleast 10MAF water downstream Kotri, scientific analysis of water samples to be obtained from the water reservoirs and watercourses from various towns by Environmental Protection Agency, WASA, WHO etc, vaccination of all sort of Hepatitis, chlorination of water reservoirs and installation of filter plants in towns.

The session resented excavation of RBOD without keeping in view the damage it will cause to the protective sanctuary - the Haleji Lake, historical site Bhambhore and other sites, and demanded review of the alignment of the project before its execution through Thatta district.