SIALKOT-Dozens of water filtration plants have been lying out of order for several years in Sialkot, Daska and Sambrial cities due to alleged negligence of the administration.
People suffer great ordeal due to non-availability of potable water there. They alleged that the district administration and TMAs of Sialkot, Daska and Sambrial have turned a blind eye to the issue. The people have repeatedly appealed for early rectification of the water filtration plants. About four years ago, the district administration and TMAs had established the plants by spending millions of rupees, but the same have been lying out of order.
The plants are installed in congested areas of Gohadpur, Pakka Garha, Naikapura, Green Wood Street, New Mianapura, Model Town, Hajipura, Sialkot Cantt, College Road, Pakpura, Purannagar, Rangpura, Muhammadpura, Jaamkey Road, College Road, Sambrial Road, Nisbat Road, Daska Bar Association Compound and Govt College for Women Daska.  There are no alternative arrangements for providing potable water for more than 4,200 students and teachers due to non-rectification of the plant and the electrical coolers in the college.
In Sambrial, all the eight water filtration plants were established in Muhallah Sheraanabad, Muhallah Daak Khana, Muhallah West, Muhallah Kheratpura and Muhallah Rasulpura of Sambrial city. The people are forced to use water mixed with toxic chemicals being discharged by the local tanneries.
Thinkers’ Forum President Muhammad Jamil Sethi, Daska Bar Association President Muhammad Asif Bajwa, leader of traders Main Bazaar Daska Muhammad Ather and Shehari Haqooq Committee Chairman Bashir Ahmed Naz have expressed grave concern over the critical situation.
They said that despite repeated appeals, no one had so far rectified the plants. People are forced to drink unhygienic water due to which they have been rapidly becoming victim of cholera, hepatitis and other fatal diseases. The Sialkot Health Department has already declared the water of Sialkot and Daska cities as contaminated and injurious to health, they added.
They have urged Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Commissioner Khawaja Shamail Ahmed and DCO Iftikhar Ali Sahu to ensure early rectification of these water filtration plants. When contacted, the Sialkot officials held on another responsible for the negligence.