Hyderabad, Pakistan-15-05-20004 to 08-06-2004

Unhygienic drinking water has caused various water-related health disorders in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. Citizens have suffered from diarrhea, gastroenteritis, vomiting and other abdominal diseases in large number, majority of them were children. There have been at least 34 deaths.

According to a spokesman of Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA), "The Irrigation Department had released eight thousand cusecs water from Manchhar Lake to downstream and we were compelled to supply the polluted water to the city".

Director , chemistry department of Sindh University told Media that Manchhar Lake was once a sweet water resource but now its water was undrinkable and hazardous to human health as poisonous chemicals and drainage water regularly disposed off in it.

Thousands of citizens in Hyderabad were affected by the unhygienic drinking water. Health Department declared emergency in all government hospitals of the city and cancelled leaves of doctors and paramedics. This step was taken in view of the rising number of gastroenteritis and other abdominal diseases cases due to use of the unhygienic drinking water. Emergency counters were established in all government and other hospitals in the city and required medicines were supplied to them. The number of patients suffering from gastroenteritis, diarrhea, vomiting and fever was alarmingly increased due to use of the hazardous drinking water.

During three weeks, at least 34 people died and more than 10000 suffered from gastroenteritis due to unhygienic water supply in Hyderabad but no strict action was taken against the people responsible for the incident that created serious public health crisis in the city.

Many demonstrations were held against the supply of polluted water here. Demonstrators staged protest sit-in at City Administrator's office and attempted to block the National High Way.