Think before you drink
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Humanity cannot survive without drinking water. Interestingly, the masses have to drink arsenic mixed water here in Pakistan yet having the water purification system in their homes. It is happening because of the illegal, replicas and non-food graded are being sold out water filters in the markets. But this unfortunate thing that Lahore’s city district government and WASA’s officials did not own this issue. Both of them refused to take the liability of illegal selling and manufacturing water filters in the sanitary stores across the country.
Sunday plus conduct an exclusive survey to probe the facts regarding the making process, quality and illegal thriving business of the water filters that create the blessings in disguise situation among the citizen. The two genres of filters local made and important are accessible for the public. The local manufacturers produce the water filter’s housings and other plastic material with the help of the recycling plastics as the people salt waste in the terms of X-rays, used syringes, tyre rubber, plastic bottles, and sewerage pipes as well.
More than 70% local producers are not using proper plastic’s row material in the water filters making process because public is not on their priority they just focus on the business. A number of makers thrive this illegal business but without any hesitation and they use the USA‘s stamps to show the imported filters, they use to play with play’s lives while there is no check on this kind of traditions. In fact, these filters cannot have the ability to purify and sterilize the water properly but spreading the most dangerous and terrible diseases skin cancer, hepatitis, lever failure, and gastro etc. this unfortunate thing that this is just occurring in the third world.
According to the survey imported obtainable filters are better working than the local ones and these are being made with the help of 100% food grade and pure plastic raw material, which at least cannot create the diseases for the consumers. This is not happening in the other developing nations because of strong and authentic checking system.
A complete water filter is comprised upon the three housings or parts, first one is filled with the polypropylene fibre cartridge. That eliminates the physical particles such as dust, rust, and sand particles. This cartridge should be 100% pure Polypropylene fibre then this will not be functioning well. But here the native manufacturers frequently used rough Polypropylene fibre that cannot remove the physical particles because nobody can dare to vet the factories. This is the water filtration process.
Second one is granular activated carbon that observes the water’s bad taste, colour and bad smell and with the end of this process existing chemicals to be removed. While Lahore, Karachi and Gujranwala’s manufacturers use coil to replace the activate carbon. This is the most terrible for consumers and due to which water is to be further dirty despite of purification. This process purifies the water.
Water filter’s third housing is persisted at the UV ultra violet lamp that disinfects the bacteria, germs and viruses and so with the completion of this sterilization function one can drink the mineral water. Three sorts of the ultra violet lamps sell in the market. Philips lamp works properly to get rid of from active bacteria and virus. So always quality ultra violet lamp should be used other wise bacteria and virus would never be finished from the water.
Right now most of the Pakistani drink polluted and arsenic water that effect the human body and bones have been weaken gradually. Because of this sort of drinking water the working capacity of the youth is also dwindling. No one including the government is thinking the serious matter.
Nobody can tell about existing manufacturers how many filter makers are here are? But according to the survey conducted by Sunday plus more than 90% companies have indulged to make the water purification filter but nobody wants to register the company. That is the responsibility of the health department, environment protection department and city district government to vet the illegal filter manufacturers almost once in a month.
Government should be banned those filter manufacturers who use recycle plastic raw material to produce water filters. Present given licenses should be cancelled and the licensing process should resume. So far nobody including the City district governments did raid to prevent the illegal vendors anywhere across the country.
Sunday plus talked to Lahore’s DO Environment Tariq Zaman about the water filters manufacturing.
He refused to own the matter and said, “this is not the responsibility of our department to vet the illegal makers. He slams the illegal water filter’s manufacturing. My department can just provide the advisory mechanism to WASA about the quality control.”
“When the new tube wells are required to WASA and during evolving the new projects environment department tests the water quality and give the maximum support to WASA, He was of the view”
Sunday plus talked to Deputy Managing Director WASA Iqtadar Shah. He as usual declined to acknowledge the reality about the selling water filters. He even did not own the most sensitive issue and argued “this matter is not the WASA ’s concerning because WASA is supplying the pure and sterilized water to the masses. There is no need to install the water filters to the public.”
On a query that who is the responsible lethargic and sluggish selling of the water filters? “I always discourage to install the domestic filtration because my department is already giving the water with minerals. Water is polluted when the masses construct their homes and they do not install the quality sanitation system. Then an account of lower quality material and electric motor pumps water is polluted. So water filters installation is entirely useless practice, he was of the view.”
Labels: Environment, Pollution, Water
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 9:53 PM,
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Salvaging the art of the land
Friday, January 8, 2010
Miniature painting, calligraphy and naqashi are the arts of the land. For years they remained ignored by the state institutions that were meant to promote them as part of our heritage. These arts continued to be practiced and taught privately by artists privately. In year 2003 industrialist and philanthropist Syed Babar Ali established Naqsh School of Arts in the heart of Lahore’s historic walled city. Students here are taught the art of miniature painting, calligraphy and naqashi.
Naqsh School of Arts holds three-year diploma course in fine arts and graphics. Recently first convocation of the Naqsh School of Arts was held in which diplomas and medals were awarded to 50 students. Four batches of students have passed out. Syed Babar Ali (the founder of the school) handed over the medals and diplomas to students of the four batches during the convocation.
The programme started with the recitation of Holy Quran. Afzhan Ejaz and Nagina Hameed gave a briefing about school’s achievements. Principal Muhammad Omer Masood and chief guest Syed Babar Ali appreciated the services of Mehboob Hasan Rumi.
Living legend and former principal of the Naqsh School of Arts Mehmood Hasan Rumi inaugurated ‘Rumi library’ in which he donated 75 percent of his collection of the books regarding history, art and culture would be accessible for the school’s students.
Talking to Sunday Plus Muhamad Omer Masood said the basic objective of holding the convocation was to discuss and analyse the situation as to where the school stands today since it was started. “The school has its own latest equipment and computer laboratory. We wanted to award the students medals and diplomas for their hard work and dedication. Also we wanted to pay tribute to the veteran artist and teacher Mehboob Hasan Rumi. He will continue to deliver lectures on illustration and anatomy drawings,” he said.
“Advisory board of the school comprises on NCA’s graduates, teachers of the Punjab University, the heads of the BNU and NCA, renowned artistes and teachers including Salima Hashmi, Ustad Bashir, Dr Ajaz Anwer Mehboob Hasan Rumi, and professor Sajjad Kowser and Kamil Khan while Syed Babar Ali heads this board. The advisory board decides after analysing the working of the students that who has the right to get gold and other medals as well.
“The basic objective of the school is to preserve the traditional art and culture. The three main historic art and design forms taught here are miniature painting, naqaashi and calligraphy. It provides a three-year diploma course in traditional and modern art. Many students are enrolled every year while school charges minor dues. However, Naqsh is grappling constantly to enhance the facilities regarding all courses and ultimately to imbue in its students an artistic sensibility that seeks to fuse traditional arts and aesthetics with those compatible with the modern world.
“Naqsh wants to revive the artwork of Mughal Empire that has lost its expression in our modern times. It is the architectural ornamentation in terms of naqashi and miniature illustration.
“Naqsh held a survey of many historical buildings of the Mughals. The school of art is trying to reproduce the art in its actual shape and colour.
“Naqsh is going to establish a centre where senior teachers and artists will come to deliver lectures regarding illustration and other forms of fine arts,” Principal Masood explained.
Both Amir Ghouri and Shibli Munir respectively shared silver medals while Abdul Razzaq received bronze medal. Students of the second batch Noshi Ejaz was given gold medal. Afshan Ejaz and Kinza Saleem had obtained silver while Rubab Aslam (head of the miniature art section) and Waris Ali received bronze medals.
Among the third batch’s students Asma Javed received gold medal while Adeela and Imran Malik respectively gained silver and bronze medals. The students of the fourth batch like Syed Muddasar Ali Kazmi won the gold while Amber Naz and Farooq Ishaque had got silver and bronze medals.
Naqsh School of Arts is an institution that has rendered its services by reviving the interest of the people in the art of the land that had almost disappeared.
Labels: Calligraphy, Fine Arts, Miniature painting, Naqashi
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 10:08 PM,
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About
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Labels: About, RAO DILSHAD HUSSAIN
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 10:30 PM,
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