LAHORE: Residents of Kot Asadullah, a village near the capital city, are falling sick after drinking contaminated water. Residents complain of bone and joint pain after drinking water.
“The government needs to pay special attention and resolve this issue on an urgent basis,” said a resident.
The residents believe that the release of chemicals from local factories is polluting their water. A water plant installed in 2000 remains inoperational to date as restaurants line up to fill water from a filtration plant installed by a non-governmental organization (NGO).
“The land absorbs the chemicals from nearby factories which is why people are falling sick,” a resident complained.
Naeem-ur-Rehman, a spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said that a similar problem occurred 20 years ago which was traced to an increase in fluoride percentage in water.
“There are 12 districts of Punjab where there are high levels of fluoride,” Rehman said.
The residents have urged local authorities to pay attention to the issue so their loved ones do not contract incurable illnesses and deformities.