GUJRAT: Academic blocks, boundary walls and other such missing facilities have been provided to 167 schools by the local community in collaboration with the district government during the last two years.

This was stated by District Coordination Officer (DCO) Liaqat Ali Chatha on Monday while speaking at a ceremony at the Government Girls School Gandra which was upgraded to the high school level.

The DCO said construction of more academic blocks with the help of community was underway for the upgrade whereas the government had also provided up to Rs0.7m to every school for the provision of required facilities.

Industrialist Chaudhry Ahmed Saeed, hailing from the village, would also provide funds for the establishment of a new academic block at the girls school for high classes.

PhD: The University of Gujrat (UoG) will start PhD programme in environmental sciences this year.

This was stated by the university’s Environmental Sciences Department chairperson Dr Rashid Saeed while addressing a seminar, titled ‘Let’s Celebrate Earth Day – by planting more trees for clean and green environment’ held in connection with the Earth Day at the UoG on Monday. “The UoG’s department of environmental sciences has a reasonable number of faculty members, including three PhDs,” he said.

Dr Rashid added that man had usurped all the natural resources of the earth by infringing upon the rights of other animals and plants sharing the planet with him. He said an ethical division of resources would have saved much of the greenery of the earth.

Dr Muhammad Fahim Malik, dean Faculty of Sciences, highlighted the importance of trees in our lives by discussing their social, environmental and economic benefits.

Geography department chairperson Dr Muhammad Mushahid Anwar also spoke.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2016