HYDERABAD, June 2: Water at downstream Kotri Barrage is still unfit for human consumption, another test conducted by two universities on 10 samples of the Indus river water on Tuesday night showed.

The water samples, taken from different places at upstream and downstream Kotri Barrage, were analyzed by the University of Sindh's Dr M. A. Kazi Institute of Chemistry, and the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences' Research Surveillance Committee.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by Dawn, said that water at downstream Kotri Barrage had salt contents five to seven times higher than at upstream. It said that the colour of water at downstream was greenish due to the presence of algae, including microcyslis which was considered unsafe for human consumption.

The water at upstream Kotri Barrage, the report said, was safe to a certain extent, except for having pH (Hydrogen item concentration) which was recorded at 8.3 against the normal quality at 7.

The sample collected from the Guddu pumping station, which supplies water to Hussainabad and kutchi abadi, showed conductivity at 1,864 (normal 750), TDS 1192mg per litre (normal 500), salinity 0.9g per litre (normal 0.2 to 0.3), and pH 8.01 (normal 7).

The specialists have advised people to filter and boil water and use chlorine. When contacted by telephone, Dr Hussain Bux Kolachi of the LUMHS said that blood pressure and kidney patients should take extra precautions before consuming the Indus water.

He said that children up to one year of age were extremely vulnerable to stomach diseases. He said that milk purchased from market should not be fed to children without boiling it.

The University of Sindh team comprised Prof Dr M. Y. Khuhawar and Dr S. M. Leghari. LUMHS vice-chancellor Prof Jan Mohammad Memon has alsoconstituted a standby committee of consultants to provide treatment to patients admitted to Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and Jamshoro branches, due to consumption of contaminated water.

The committee comprises Prof Allah Bachayo Memon, dean faculty of medicines and allied sciences, Prof Nazeer Ashraf Leghari, chairman, department of ophthalmology, Prof Salma Shaikh, department of paediatrics, and Dr Parvez Iqbal, dermatologist.

Meanwhile, it was officially announced on Wednesday that due to consumption of contaminated water, 3,000 patients had been admitted to different hospitals in the district - 1,396 to the Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad/Jamshoro, 671 to the Bhitai Hospital, Latifabad, 362 to the Government Hospital, Paretabad, 124 to the Government Hospital, Qasimabad, 201 to CDF Hospital, Hyderabad, and 246 to the Kotri Taluka Hospital.

The EDO, health, Dr Nazar Mohammad Junejo, said that 20 people had died since May 15. He said that nine patients had died at the Liaquat University Hospital, 10 at the Bhitai hospital and one at the Kotri Taluka Hospital.

DO: The district officer, accounts, on Tuesday informed controlling officers/DDOs of the district that all claims and bills which are bound to lapse at the end of the current financial year, can be deposited at the pre-audit counter of the district accounts office. He said that salary bills for April and other allowances could be deposited by June 10 and grant in aid bills should be deposited by June 15.