82pc drinking water unfit for human consumption, Senate body told

Committee informed bottled water of many brands in markets also not up to the mark

ISLAMABAD: The government shocked the Senate’s Standing Committee on Science and Technology Tuesday by revealing that 82 per cent drinking water is unfit for human consumption as per a study.

Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanvir Hussain told the panel here at the Parliament House that water was a blessing of Allah, but unfortunately, people were not getting clean drinking water. Those who attended the meeting included senators Momin Afridi, Saleem Mandviwala and Mian Muhammad Attique and senior ministry officials. The ruling PML-N Senator Abdul Qayyum proposed that emergency for provision of clean drinking water be imposed, as this was the most effective way of ensuring health of masses and keeping many serious ailments at bay. He pointed out that there was fine on using clean drinking water for even car wash in Britain. He emphasised need for creating awareness about the importance of clean drinking water and allocation of adequate funds for this purpose.

On this, the Committee Chairman Senator Usman Saifullah Khan and other members, proposed that the Council of Common Interests should take up this issue. The panel chairman maintained without getting into the issue of what had been devolved under the 18th Amendment, the matter should be discussed at the council so that a clear line could be adopted on how to bring down the alarming level of unclean drinking water.

The committee also received the information with disbelief that the funds allocated for research under the Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) was just Rs2 million. The minister lamented that small allocations were impeding the critical research work at the council, which needed to be increased accordingly.

The committee was informed that the bottled water of many brands available in markets was also not up to the mark. On this the senators called for penalty for those, who marketed substandard bottled water.

Senators including former minister for science and technology Muhammad Azam Swati of PTI and Abdul Qayyum questioned why the former PCRWR chairman Dr Aslam Tahir was not given the opportunity to continue serving the council. He was fast moving to make the council self-sufficient in financial matters. “I personally know, Dr Aslam Tahir. His performance has been outstanding and it is quite disappointing that he was not considered by the board of governors prior to his bowing out,” he maintained.

Among other things, Dr Aslam was able to be instrumental in establishment of the state of the art water quality institute, funded (dollars 213 million) by South Korea at the PCRWR Headquarters here besides the safe drinking water project across Pakistan. The project is facing closure, as it faces paucity of funds and its 202 employees also face uncertain future.