HYDERABAD, June 6: District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman has demanded a judicial probe into the supply of contaminated water to ascertain facts leading to several deaths in the city.

Addressing the district council on Saturday, he said that the tragedy could have been averted had the Hyderabad Development Authority and Water and Sanitation Agency been devolved to the district government.

He demanded that the HDA and WASA should either be devolved or placed under full administrative control of the district government. He said that the Manchhar lake had been completely polluted due to the discharge of saline water. He said that the lake's situation was not monitored before releasing its water into the Indus.

He suggested that a regulatory committee comprising district Nazims and DCOs of Dadu, environmentalists and irrigation officials should be formed to permanently look after the water situation which might occur again unless the Manchhar was completely rehabilitated.

He said that he had sent a letter to the Sindh chief secretary and senior member board of revenue against the EDO revenue, questioning his conduct. He informed that when he asked the EDO about relief money, he was informed that cheques had been given to Mukhtiarkars.

He said that the participation of district government, taluka municipal administrations and UCs was necessary in cheques' distribution. He said that the construction of more tanks at Thandi Sarak water works was discussed to supply filtered water to parts of Latifabad and Hussainabad.

COMMITTEE: An eleven member committee comprising district council members of each taluka and reserved seats has been formed to ensure distribution of discretionary and emergency funds.

The funds will be given to deserving people including those died due to water-borne diseases. The committee comprised Khalil Memon, Shafqat Soho, Roshan Shah, Ibrahim Chishti, Q Hakim, Mir Aslam, M Parkash, Firdous Abro, Ali Nawaz Kutrio and Rana Mehmood.

A proposal was given by the district nazim in the house to accord approval to such committee which should recommend names of deserving people, whose houses had been burnt or they were affected under different circumstances.

The committee members would propose names after making queries so that deserving people could be given compensation. The house adopted a resolution of Aziz Memon, demanding compensation to people affected by breach in the Nasir canal.