SHC seeks reports on action against vegetable farming with sewage

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed the deputy commissioners of the Malir and Korangi districts to submit progress reports with regard to action against persons involved in farming vegetables through sewage.

Petitioner Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi had submitted that several people were involved in vegetable farming through sewerage water in the Korangi, Malir, Landhi and Surjani Town areas. He submitted that due to vegetable farming through sewage, the lives of the citizens were at risk of several diseases and the government functionaries were not taking action against such persons.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar inquired law officers about action being taken against farming of vegetables through sewage as it was a matter of public health.

A Sindh Food Authority representative submitted that the authority had already taken action in order to ban the farming of vegetables through sewerage water. He submitted that samples of eggplant, spinach and garlic were collected from the Malir river bed on January 21 and sent for laboratory for chemical and biological analysis and their reports were awaited.

He said that strict action shall be taken against responsible persons in case reports confirmed unsafe cultivation. He said a joint operation will be conducted with all the departments concerned to end unsafe farming.

The Korangi additional deputy commissioner submitted that the rainwater was flowing in the Malir River after the monsoon rains and presently there was no cultivation in his jurisdiction. He said that a task force was checking the Malir River on a regular basis and further operations against farming of vegetables through sewage were under way by the assistant commissioners.

The high court directed the additional district commissioners of Korangi and Malir to submit a progress report on action taken to eliminate the farming through sewerage water in their respective areas so that public at large should not become victim of buying vegetables growing through contaminated water.

The SHC also directed the additional agriculture secretary to submit a report with regard to action being taken against persons involved in cultivation of vegetables through sewerage water.

K-IV project

The SHC has issued notices to the planning and development secretary, chief secretary and others on a petition against non-completion of the K-IV water supply project.

The petitioner informed the high court that the K-IV water project had not been completed by the federal and provincial governments despite several assurances by them, as a result of which citizens of Karachi were facing water shortage problems.

He requested the SHC to direct the federal and provincial governments to submit a report with regard to the completion of the K-IV water project.