JAMSHORO: The US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W) and Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) have agreed to collaborate for environmental protection in the province through capacity building of public and private sectors and research in the field of the water and waste-water management.

A delegation of Sepa led by director general Naeem Ahmad Mughal visited the USPCAS-W of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro and held a detailed meeting with the management of the centre led by USPCAS-W project director Dr Bakhshal Lashari. Deputy director academics and research Dr Rasool Bux Mahar gave presentation regarding the performance, achievements and available facilities and services of the centre.

Dr Lashari said the USPCAS-W would welcome every organisation to provide its expertise in various sectors related to environment and water. He said the centre was already working with various organisations and industries to resolve their water-related issues with the help of innovative research of its faculty and scholars.

Briefing the delegation, Sepa DG Naeem Mughal welcomed the offer and suggestions by the USPCAS-W team and agreed to collaborate in future. He sought the list of research projects, their titles and recommendations as he might discuss those with the government, non-government and private organisations on priority for implementation.

Mr Mughal said the centre should conduct trainings, workshops, awareness campaigns, for general public and workers of various industries and Sepa would collaborate in this regard.

He also said the USPCAS-W and Sepa would also work for air quality monitoring, indoor air pollution and to make mechanism for climate change in future and other sectors also. Both the organisations agreed to sign an MoU and develop an action plan to address the priority issues in the field of water and environment.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2019