KARACHI – As the Supreme Court Karachi Registry has resumed hearing of a case related to water pollution, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal have reached the court.
At the last hearing, a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, had summoned Kamal, Shah, and Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Mahar in the case filed by Advocate Advocate Shahab Usto.
As the hearing began, the chief justice lamented poor situation of in the province, adding that the chief minister has been summoned so they could settle the matter together.
He reiterated that providing clean drinking water to citizens was the prime responsibility of the government.
The chief justice remarked that human waste was being added to water purposefully.
No Compromise on Water Pollution At the last hearing, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said that no compromise will be made on air and water pollution as it was the matter of people’s lives.
The Chief Justice passed the remark while hearing a case regarding the provision of clean water to people of Sindh filed by Advocate Shahab Usto, at Karachi Registry of the apex court.
He added that the judiciary should take up the matter when the government failed to perform its duties.
The CJP observed that no one can survive without water and air as these two are the biggest blessing.
Advocate Shahab Usto argued that people in 29 districts across Sindh are forced to drink polluted water.

A May 2017 poll found that water pollution, air pollution, and climate change rank high on Americans’ list of top fears.
Concern about environmental problems was much higher than during the 2016 survey, and the spike in worry was likely due to the intervening election.
As shown in the graphic below from Chapman University, four of the top 10 fears dealt with environmental threats: “pollution of oceans, rivers and lakes,” “pollution of drinking water,” “global warming and climate change,” and “air pollution.” For all four of these problems, between 45 percent and 53 percent of Americans said they were “afraid” or “very afraid.” What is, perhaps, most striking about American fear in 2017 is that environmental fears, including water pollution and drinking water quality, figure more prominently than ever before.
In 2017, there was a sharp increase in environmental fears, likely due to fears about policy changes in Washington.
The Trump Administration has charted a drastically different path; ordering the US Environmental Protection Agency not to enforce major pollution laws, and firing the EPA’s entire Science Advisory Board.
If you look at the 2016 version of the fear index, environmental problems are nowhere to be found: Likewise, the 2015 survey didn’t have any environmental issues crack the top 10.
It was a different story in 2017, when concern about environmental problems spiked.
I’ve also added data on the change from 2016 to 2017.
Pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes: up 23.1 percent Pollution of drinking water: up 22.5 percent Global warming and climate change: up 15.7 percent Air pollution: up 24.2 percent Extinction of plant and animal species: up 15.6 percent Oil spills: up 9.4 percent The Chapman survey divides fears into a number of domains, such as environmental, economic, natural disasters, and technology.
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KARACHI – Supreme Court of Pakistan Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday said that no compromise will be made on air and water pollution as it was the matter of people’s lives.
The Chief Justice passed the remark while hearing a case regarding the provision of clean water to people of Sindh filed by Advocate Shahab Usto, at Karachi Registry of the apex court.
The three-member bench also summoned former city nazim Mustafa Kamal and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on December 5 and 6 respectively.
He further said that high officers will be summoned in the case if necessary.
He added that the judiciary should take up the matter when the government failed to perform its duties.
The CJP observed that no one can survive without water and air as these two are the biggest blessing.
He said that establishment of different factories was harming the people in Punjab and Sindh, adding that air pollution causing a rise of dangerous diseases including cancer.
Advocate Shahab Usto argued that people in 29 districts across Sindh are forced to drink polluted water.
He added “Eighty percent water in Karachi, 85% in Hyderabad, 88% in Larkana and 78 % in Shikarpur is contaminated,” reported Geo News.
Water Mixed with Human Waste On July 16, the one-man judicial commission, headed by Sindh High Court’s Chief Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, was informed by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) that the people were being suppleid water mixed with human waste.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has identified the East Hampton Airport as a potential inactive hazardous waste disposal site, according to a letter to the town, and will lead an investigation into the source of the chemical contamination in nearby wells.
The detection of perfluorinated compounds, known as PFCs, in wells near the airport “may be attributable to current or past operations on your property,” the D.E.C.
wrote in a Nov. 10 letter, as the compounds, listed as hazardous substances by the state, are components of firefighting foams.
“This information leads us to suspect,” said the D.E.C.
The state agency has asked that the town provide any relevant information, including “the locations of firefighting foam storage, use, and training activities.” Water contamination by firefighting foam has been tied to fire training facilities elsewhere on Long Island.
Last Thursday, the town board approved a resolution designating the D.E.C.
as “the lead investigatory agency into possible PFC contamination at the East Hampton Airport.” The town has been working with both the State Health Department and Suffolk County Health Department in efforts to have private wells tested within a designated area near the airport.
As of mid-November, with about 50 tests concluded, PFCs had been found in 28 wells, though only one had levels higher than the 70 parts per trillion level set by the Environmental Protection Agency as a maximum safe level in water.
The Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee is to discuss the water contamination at its meeting on Saturday, among other items on its agenda.
The committee has been pressing for more information, including specifics on test results; the location of wells where the chemicals were detected, particularly in relation to the airport, the former sand mine, Georgica and Wainscott Ponds, and the Wainscott School; potential sourcesss; the efficacy of filtration systems that can eliminate the chemicals, and whether or not public water mains will be installed, and at whose cost.

Union Leader Correspondent MERRIMACK — As school officials continue to explore the possibility of installing central filtration systems at each of the schools, new test results detecting low levels of water contamination have been announced.
At Reeds Ferry Elementary School, 17 parts per trillion of perfluorooctanoic acid was discovered in water samples taken at the school last month, which is lower than the state’s advisory level of 70 ppt.
At Merrimack High School the water samples detected 20 ppt, at Merrimack Middle School the samples read 19 ppt, at Mastricola Elementary School the test results were 18 ppt and at Thorntons Ferry Elementary School 15 ppt of PFOA was discovered in the water, according to Assistant Superintendent Matt Shevenell.
“I would probably expect the same results as the other schools,” he told the school board last week.
Despite New Hampshire’s advisory level of 70 ppt for a combination of PFOA and other contaminants, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection recently accepted the standard of 14 ppt for PFOA, which is closer to Vermont’s threshold of 20 ppt.
“It would be a good point of information,” said Thompson, specifically since the new level was based on PFOA consumption in adolescents.
Since then, hundreds of homes in the region have been receiving bottled water and homes with private contaminated wells are in the process of being hooked up to municipal water.
Previously, school officials received a quote of about $1 million to install a district-wide filtration system for all water at all local schools.
Both of those options, he said, will be discussed in the upcoming budget process.
khoughton@newstote.com

agency should lead this vital program The editorial “EPA, not Mass., should regulate water pollution” argues that Massachusetts should not assume responsibility of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or NPDES.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection also has a decades-long history of effectively administering other federal environmental programs for hazardous wastes, air quality, and drinking water.
The current agency’s top administration would like nothing better than to dump its primary responsibility for enforcement of environmental laws onto the states.
In face of lags under federal oversight, state should be given authority The Globe’s editorial board got it wrong when it opined that the state Department of Environmental Protection should not be delegated authority to run the federal Clean Water Act program in Massachusetts.
When he was governor, Deval Patrick filed legislation to authorize the state agency to pursue delegation, and provided funding to do so.
The EPA must approve the state agency’s plan for administering the Clean Water Act, and would retain authority to take direct enforcement action against violators if the state failed to do so.
Baker needs to invest in enforcing our clean water laws The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection does not have the resources to keep our water clean.
Linda Orel Sharon Bill aims for better collaboration among US, state, local partners Your editorial highlights the challenges in balancing water quality programs between the Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Regardless of who is in charge, the Commonwealth faces challenges meeting water quality goals under the federal Clean Water Act.
I have filed legislation to improve water quality and pollution control programs, which would require the Commonwealth to conduct an evaluation and gap analysis of water quality programs, both federal and state.

The latest gathering last week was organized by the outreach committee of Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne; it attracted about 25 attendees from near and far.
At the outset, presenters explained that the federal Environmental Protection Agency has mandated Vermont reduce its total maximum daily load of pollutants into Lake Champlain.
Regulations have already affected farmers, new construction and businesses, and will soon affect towns and taxpayers who must all share in the responsibility of protecting our precious resource.
Of concern are contaminants such as chemicals from manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, e-coli, and chloride from road salt.
But reduction of phosphorous is a top priority.
High levels of phosphorous, which can lead to toxic blue-green algae blooms in summertime, can render water undrinkable, unswimmable, and unsustainable to aquatic life.
Some studies are linking close proximity to the blooms with neurodegenerative diseases, said panelist Krista Hoffsis, program coordinator at Lewis Creek Association, a Charlotte-based nonprofit conservation group and watchdog for area rivers and streams.
But that very impermeability that protects groundwater also contributes to swift and unfiltered stormwater runoff.
“People know there is something going on in the lake but there is a disconnect.
She travels around Vermont speaking with people and gathering information to help secure federal funding for forests, and agricultural practices that will benefit water resources.

Governor Rick Snyder signed an executive directive yesterday to deal with PFAS and PFC contamination around the state.
Snyder has established a task force called the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team, which will coordinate efforts by local, state and federal agencies to keep residents safe from these chemicals.
“To safeguard Michiganders from this emerging contaminant, it’s critical that responding agencies at all levels are effectively communicating and coordinating efforts,” Snyder said in a statement.
“This team will be instrumental in establishing protocols and best practices that will allow all partners to comprehensively address these contaminants across Michigan.” Residents in Plainfield Township near Grand Rapids are dealing with well water contamination because of these chemicals.
But Dale George, the public information officer with the task force, says these chemicals are more common than some might think.
“People all over the country are exposed to these chemicals in several ways, so it’s really difficult to find one solution to all the exposures,” George said.
State and federal agencies are still doing a lot of research about these chemicals and their effects on the human body, but George says “Michigan isn’t waiting until the research is complete to take action.” According to the Kent County Health Department, PFAS and PFCs have been linked to two forms of cancer, testicular and kidney, among other health issues.
For more information about MPART, you can visit michigan.gov/PFASresponse.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) of Mogale City wishes to inform Krugersdorp residents that there is in fact no contamination of the drinking water in Mogale City.
According to Jacques Hoon, leader of the DA Mogale Caucus, who featured in the KykNET eNuus programme on the night of Wednesday, 8 November, a huge misconception exists among the viewers.
“There is currently no sewage spill in Pinehaven and the spill from earlier this year was not enough to contaminate the ground water in any way,” Hoon said.
He went on to explain that it is impossible for a sewage leak in Pinehaven to affect the water in the rest of Krugersdorp.
“The sewage spill from earlier this year is an incident on its own.
I can assure all the residents that Mogale City receives its drinking water directly from Rand Water from a reservoir situated in Kenmare,” he said.
“There is no problem, and there is no contamination in the water due to raw sewage.” The DA will continue to monitor the situation and residents will be notified immediately should any water contamination be found.
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Wolverine is now looking at spending many millions related to contaminated groundwater caused by the company’s toxic tannery waste dumped in sites around northern Kent county for decades.
Just this year, the company expects to spend about $3 million, officials told analysts during a quarterly conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
While the issue has been covered heavily by local media, it has been reported in national publications that might be read by investors outside of Michigan.
"We have been as proactive as possible and conservative and transparent," Krueger told analysts in his first public comments about the water contamination.
"We are working closely with all state and local agencies."
A Grand Rapids law firm is laying the groundwork for class action suits to force Wolverine to pay residents for a loss in property value, health issues and cleanup of the former dumping sites.
Litigation, especially a class action suit, likely would have the biggest impact on stock prices, says Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
"Just the uncertainty about potentially large claims could make investors back off the stock."
On Wednesday, Nov. 8, the shoe company reported third quarter revenues slipped 3.7 percent to $581.3 million, and profits fell 51.9 percent to $23.2 million, compared to the same period last year.
Publicly traded companies like Wolverine are required to let shareholders know of potential financial problems in quarterly 10k reports, which Wolverine is expected to file this week.