PESHAWAR, Aug 31: Univer-sity of Peshawar’s geology department is planning to set up a hydrological and environmental research facility, which will be the first of its kind in Pakistan.

The ambitious project — a brainchild of Dr Asim Yousafzai — will help monitor problems like water contamination and climate change in the region.

The geo-science expert said the centre would offer masters degree courses in hydrogeology and global climate change.

Dr Yousafzai, who completed his PhD from a foreign university, has submitted a research proposal to the Higher Education Commission to study the effects of contaminated water on human health.

Hydrogeological research has great potential as water resource management is vital for sustaining economic growth in an agricultural country like Pakistan, said Dr Yousafzai.

He said the gap between water demand and supply was widening with the rapid growth in the national economy and its quality was being affected by human activity.

Presently, there is no active programme for monitoring ground and surface water resources, especially in the north-western parts of the country. The hydro-geological data for this region was scanty, he said.

He plans to set up a network of automated rain gauges to collect data from the Himalayan region.Drinking water samples would also be analysed in the larger public interest, the earth science expert said.

Terming it imperative to adopt a proper strategy to accurately monitor precious water resources, he said that they were not only deteriorating but were also depleting at a rapid pace.