KARACHI: Strategies for safe drinking water and sewerage system in cities of Sindh should be included in main priorities.
This was stated at the First Sindh Conference on Sanitation held at a local hotel. At the conference. Ogaley Odo said that there was the need to work on sanitation system of Sindh so that the situation could be better. He said that with the collaboration of local communities, sanitation problem should be resolved.
Sindh Minister Jam Shoro said that the Sindh government was realizing that millions of the people had no excess to safe water and sanitation facilities. He said that the Sindh government team was ready to face this condition.
Sindh Minister for Katchi Abadies Murtaza Baloch said that due to law complications, the water and sanitation facilities had been a big problem so this issue may be resolved soon and katchi abadies will be regularized.
Fahim Junejo, Project Director, Local Government, said that almost 20.2% of the Sindh’s population still defecate in open which should be decreased with the support of civil society and the people. He said that this time, 47.7% of the rural population in Sindh had the sanitation facilities and the government was continuously trying to improve the situation. He said that only 54% of people in rural areas wash their hands with soap before meals and only 45% after relieving themselves.
HANDS chief Dr. Shaikh Tanveer Ahmed said that access to improved drinking water in Pakistan was estimated at 91% while access to improved sanitation facilities was estimated at 66%. “Huge disparities, however, exist with regard to drinking water and sanitation coverage in urban areas of Sindh province. The quality of services is also poor.”
Iftikhar Qaimkhani, Program Director to Sindh Municipal Services Delivery Program, said; “In the first phase, the construction works on Jacobabad Water Supply System are currently underway, while work on waste water and solid waste systems in the city is almost completed.”