Vegetables Being Watered With Industrial Effluent

Consuming vegetables grown along the Malir River is extremely hazardous for health, as the water used for agricultural purposes is mixed with industrial waste, The News has learnt. Hundreds of acres of land are being irrigated on both sides of the Malir River near Korangi Industrial Area and Shah Faisal Colony with industrial effluent of textile and other industries, and vegetables grown on these tracts of land are sold in the local market. Interviews conducted by The News with some senior physicians revealed that problems like cramps, diarrhoea, fever and skin allergies were rising due to the consumption of vegetables grown on hazardous, untreated industrial waste. “These vegetables, which appear very fresh and healthy as compared to vegetables coming from the upcountry, are extremely hazardous for health. We are warning people not to use them,” Dr Khurram Ali Khan, a gastroenterologist, told The News. Dr Khan said for the last two weeks, he had been seeing patients from Shah Faisal Colony and different localities of Malir with gastric problems, and most of them complained that they had consumed vegetables, either cooked or in raw form, that led to these problems. “When I investigated further, I found that vegetables coming from Malir are causing such problems. Everybody knows that these vegetables are grown on industrial waste water and sold in nearby areas of Korangi, Shah Faisal and Malir town,” Dr Khan said. The physician said he had been warning his patients to avoid these vegetables and especially the ones grown on industrial waste. “These vegetables actually have heavy metals and hazardous chemicals stored in them, and when they are consumed by human beings, these heavy metals cause serious gastric and skin problems,” he claimed. Dr Samina Shamsher, a homeopath, also said that people were falling sick by consuming contaminated vegetables. “I have had numerous patients with gastric ailments who said they had consumed vegetables a day before they got sick,” she said. Shamsher said that excessive use of fertilisers, insecticides and chemicals often made vegetables hazardous for humans. “We homeopaths normally ask patients about their diet, and it appears to me that most of the people who came to me with abdominal problems had consumed vegetables,” she said. Shahid Lutfi, who was associated with the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) a few years ago, also acknowledged the fact that extremely hazardous vegetables were being grown along the Malir River. “I had myself visited the areas around the Malir River, and after a thorough research, prepared a report for provincial high-ups, recommending to them to prohibit this practice of growing vegetables with industrial waste water,” he told this correspondent, adding that he considered this practice to be a crime. Lutfi said that waste water from textile industries that contained hazardous chemicals used in dying and bleaching was released into the Malir river without any chemical treatment, and this very effluent was used by the farmers. “Actually vegetables have a high uptake of heavy metals as compared to grains. These heavy metals as well as chemicals help these crops to grow rapidly, but at the same time they carry these hazardous chemicals,” he said. The environmentalist said that often vegetables grown on industrial waste were eaten in raw form like tomatoes, cucumbers and salad leafs and chemical and biological contamination in these vegetables caused serious health problems for the people. Criticizing Sepa for, what he called, overlooking this serious health and environmental issue, he said the authority should have brought this issue to the notice of the provincial government to stop this illegal practice. “It is not only the problem of Karachi or Pakistan alone but in the entire third world, poisonous fruits and vegetables are being supplied to common people in connivance with health and environmental protection authorities,” he alleged. During a visit to Shrafi Goth in Korangi and Malir river bed near Shah Faisal Colony, it was learnt that people there were aware of the health hazards of these vegetables grown on industrial effluent, but they sometimes had had no choice but to buy them because they were cheap. “Earlier, these vegetables were very popular in these areas, but when people learnt that they caused health problems, some people stopped using them. However, others still buy them as they are cheaper,” a local resident, Ashraf Ali, said. A Sepa official, however, told The News that it was not the responsibility of the organization to prevent irrigation along the Malir River done with industrial effluent. “Sepa’s responsibility is to prevent discharge of industrial waste into rivers and nullahs without treatment. In this regard, both Sindh and federal governments are planning to establish industrial treatment plants,” the official said. However, he had had no explanation why the factories were not issued show-cause notices and warnings to stop discharging their waste into the river.

City Courts Still Prone To Attacks

The security plan for the City Courts, chalked out after last week’s militant attack, did not seem to be implemented as 95 per cent of the vehicles parked on the court premises on Wednesday did not have the stickers of any of the bar associations. This scribe, during a visit to the City Courts, did not witness any change in the situation vis-a-vis precautionary measures following last week attack, as security personnel and lawyers seemed least bothered about what was happening around. The proposed security plan for the court was discussed between the office-bearers of the Karachi Bar Association and CCPO Karachi Waseem Ahmed and it was assured that a foolproof security plan would be implemented within 15 days. At an initial stage, it was decided that the vehicles without having KBA stickers would not be allowed to enter the court premises, besides one-way traffic would be ensured on the main Raja Riaz Road and its adjacent road. However, no such measures were adopted on Wednesday, as vehicles were seen violating traffic rules right under the nose of the Traffic Police. The much delayed security plan was geared up following a grenade attack on the City Courts last week by Jundullah activists that claimed the lives of a policeman and a fleeing under trial prisoner. It was admitted during the marathon meeting between the CCPO and KBA representatives that the incident occurred due to security lapse and it was agreed that every person entering the court would be thoroughly checked and extra police personnel would be deputed. However, no such security check was clamped, as even beggars and vendors were seen moving freely on the court premises. It was on the CCPO’s assurance that KBA put off its call for an indefinite strike from Monday last. However, only time will tell as to whether the foolproof security plan would ever be implemented at the City Courts.

Korangi tense after PPP, JSQM leaders gunned down

Korangi tense after PPP, JSQM leaders gunned down

Four dead in attack on car; ANP supporter killed, Shabab-e-Milli activist injured in separate incidents

Karachi Much of Korangi Town and adjoining areas remained tense till late Tuesday night, after four political workers, belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaaz (JSQM), were gunned down in broad daylight. PPP leader Naseem Haider Baloch and JSQM activist Mohammed Bux alias Bachal were travelling along with their colleagues Mohammed Habib and Farman Ali. The car (ARY-556) the four men were travelling in belonged to Ali, a resident of Korangi Industrial Area, police said. As the four men approached Chota Park (near PNT Colony), unidentified armed men riding two motorcycles and a car opened fire at their vehicle and fled. Passers-by immediately shifted the injured to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), where the four were pronounced dead. Baloch was a resident of Jumma Goth, and was the secretary-general of the local PPP unit. He was an employee of the Education Department, and has left behind a widow and two children. Bux was also a resident of Jumma Goth, and was the president of the local JSQM unit. Habib was Baloch’s friend, and was a resident of Korangi 2 1/2. He belonged to Faisalabad. Ali, a resident of D-430, Korangi 5 1/2, owned an estate agency. After the incident, senior police officers, including SSP Investigation East Zone-II Mohammed Farooq Awan, reached the spot and inspected the scene of crime. The police said that more than 45 empties, including those from Kalashnikovs and two other weapons, had been recovered. Hospital sources also confirmed that bullets from different types of guns were found from the bodies of the deceased. Further, the police said, the car was badly damaged. As news of the targeted killing of the four men spread, enraged supporters of the two leaders resorted to violence within JPMC premises, and damaged hospital property. They also lodged a protest on the main road outside the hospital against a rival political party, which they held responsible for the killings. When the bodies were taken back to Jumma Goth, aggrieved relatives and associates went on the rampage, with many also resorting to aerial firing. Shops in various localities of Korangi Town, Mehran Town, and Jumma Goth were also forcibly closed, the police said. The entire area remained tense till the filing of this report, while a heavy contingent of the Rangers and police were also deployed to control the situation. In a separate incident, a sympathiser of the Awami National Party (ANP), Raza Khan, was shot dead in Aligarh Bazaar, Orangi Town, while he was buying vegetables. Khan was a resident of the same area, police said. Violence erupted in Orangi Town following Khan’s murder, with armed men firing at a bus of the Z-4 route near Katti Pahari. Unconfirmed reports say that Noor Dad Khan son of Karam Dad Khan, a resident of UC-9, New Mianwali Colony, SITE Town, was killed in the incident. Armed assailants also opened fire at a mini-bus near Gul Bai Chowk; Danish and Mahfooz were injured in the incident. In yet another case reported on Tuesday, armed assailants barged into the house of a local Shabab-e-Milli leader, Azhar, in the jurisdiction of the Surjani Town police station. Surjani Station House Officer (SHO) Atif told The News that Azhar, his father Hanif (owner of an estate agency), and friend Riaz were present inside Azhar’s residence in Sector 7-D, Surjani Town, when three men barged into their house, and opened fire at them. Atif said that 9mm and TT pistols were used in the attack. The three men were shifted to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), where their condition was reported to be stable. Two bullets each were removed from the bodies of the father and son, while Riaz was shot in the ankle. The SHO said that the suspects were trying to flee after the attack, but a patrolling police mobile followed them and managed to catch one of the suspects, Imran. One TT pistol was also recovered from his possession. Azhar’s brother, Mohammed Akhtar, lodged an FIR against Tahir, Safdar and Imran, the SHO said. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Abdul Jabbar alias Bolhri was shot dead on the Shah Waliullah Road in an incident reported in the jurisdiction of the Kalri police station. SHO Yousuf Baloch said that the deceased belonged to the Ghaffar Zikri group, and was a resident of Gul Mohammad Lane, Chakiwara. Jabbar was required in a number of cases, including two lodged by the Baghdadi police, two by the Chakiawara police, one by the old Napier police, as well as a case lodged in Baghdadi police station of opening fire and shooting a rocket on a police armoured personnel carrier.

Woman, robber killed in encounter

	One of the bandits, who shot dead a woman, was in turn, killed by the police in an encounter in the Shah Latif Police limits on Tuesday. According to SHO Shah Latif police station Gulshan Jonejo, they received information that armed robbers were looting people in Sector-19-D, Shah Latif. A police mobile patrolling in the area rushed to the spot and engaged the outlaws. As a result, an encounter took place between the police and the dacoits. In the meantime, the bandits barged into the house of one Javed situated behind Mateen Complex, and held his family hostage at gunpoint. The police ordered the bandits to surrender, but in a bid to avoid arrest, the outlaws held hostage Sumera, a resident of the house and then killed her, besides injuring her daughter Muqadas, three. The robbers tried to escape, but the police chased and killed one of them, while his companion fled. The police recovered TT pistols, five cellphones and Rs10,000 from the possession of deceased dacoit.

Digital lab to be inaugurated at KU library

Digital lab to be inaugurated at KU library

Karachi

Dr Mehmood Hussain Library at University of Karachi (KU)
has expanded its facilities for researchers as it will soon
inaugurate the latest digital lab on June 28. It is pertinent
to mention that the said project was

approved and funded by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The new digital library comprises of 100 computers which will be accessible for all the students from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. Almost 280 network points are installed in all sections of the library building to assure continuous internet service. Seized drugs to be torched on Anti-Narcotics Day On the eve of International Anti-Narcotics Day, Sindh Excise and Taxation Department will torch seized drugs worth million of rupees at an area along Super Highway, Karachi on June 25. A walk will also be taken out on 26 June at Seaview Karachi to raise awareness about harmful effect of drugs on the society. It will be led by Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mukesh Kumar Chawla. Partly cloudy, windy weather forecast By our correspondent Karachi Owing to the influx of South Westerly winds, the weather turned windy on Tuesday with high humidity level causing simmering weather conditions. Meteorological Department recorded 28.5 degree Centigrade and 34.0 degree Centigrade minimum and maximum mercury-levels respectively. Rs7.2m for repair of CNG buses By our correspondent The City District Government Karachi has given Rs7.2 million to the transport and communication department for repairing the CNG buses. With this, the faulty buses are expected to become operational again in a few days. Meanwhile, the administrator of Karachi, Fazlur Rehman, had asked the EDO of transport, who is also the project director of the CNG bus service, to improve the maintenance system of the buses. He reiterated that the CNG bus service was not being shelved. Instead, the city government would inject more money into this service, said the administrator. Two killed in mishaps By our correspondent Two people were killed in separate mishaps on Tuesday. Asim, 35, was killed, when a speeding bus ran over him near Malir Kala Board in Malir police limits. The victim was going on his motorcycle when the accident happened. In another incident, an unidentified 40-year-old man was knocked down to death in a hit and run case. The accident happened opposite Nabi Bukhsh and Garden police Station in Nabi Bukhsh police jurisdiction as the deceased attempted to cross the road.

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