Analysis of Health Risks of Sewerage in Dense Parts of Ahmedpur East, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Abstract

Open sewerage in developing countries like Pakistan is increasing health risk. Ahmedpur East is a tehsil headquarter and densely populated city in district Bahawalpur facing various kinds of environmental problems including bad conditions of sewerage etc. Therefore the main objectives of this research were to identify the overall sewerage conditions and causing diseases in the city and to formulate some useful policy recommendations in the light of public opinions. Mohalla Sarwar Shah and Mohalla Noor Shah Bukhari were selected as sample sites and primary data had been collected through a structured questionnaire from 50 respondents. Necessary secondary data acquired from Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Ahmedpur East etc. Findings revealed that sewerage conditions of the city badly deteriorated and majority of the respondents has adopted poor drainage methods i.e. open drain to release wastewater because 70% pipelines of the sewerage were broken. The situation is much worse in densely inner parts of the city where about 50% respondents were suffering from harmful waterborne diseases and infectious epidemics i.e. Cholera and Typhoid fever were the significant health hazards. To bring improvement in the sewerage system and make healthy environment useful suggestions and policy recommendations were made.