LAHORE, Sept 26: A steering committee should be constituted to formulate guidelines for OIC member states for sustainable utilization of saline land and water resources, especially in water scarcity regions.

This was recommended by a five-day international workshop on "Hydrosalinity abatement and advance techniques for sustainable irrigated land." The seminar held between Sept 20 and 25 was followed by a one-day seminar.

Delegates from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, Turkey, Somalia, Syria, Sudan Pakistan participated in the workshop and seminar. The workshop further recommended that each OIC member state should establish and share data base on soil salinity and water quality for managing hydrosalinity problems.

The workshop noted that there was no institute of higher learning in any of the OIC member states for sustainable utilization of vast resources of saline water and marginal lands. Therefore, the OIC states must have institutes of advanced education, research, dissemination of information, training and coordination.

In order to better define agro-ecological and hydrological zones in Islamic countries, the latest techniques should be used involving GIS and remote sensing, the workshop recommended.

It also said that potential public and private enterprises should be approached for support to investigate and propose practical solutions for hydrosalinity problem in the OIC countries.

The workshop noted that because of scarcity of good quality water, there was an increasing trend of using industrial and urban effluents for irrigation of vegetables and crops.

Heavy metals and toxic elements may get into food chain by using such water. In order to avoid the problem, the workshop suggested, each country should promulgate suitable legislation for use of waste water.

The concluding session of both events was presided over by the vice-chancellor of the University of Engineering and Technology. He emphasized Ummah should strive for gain higher education and promote cooperation among the OIC states.

He also stressed the need for establishing hydrosalinity centres in each OIC state and hoped that such centres would lead the Ummah out of crisis. Dr Jaefarzadh from Iran presented his view on behalf of foreign delegates and Dr Ali Jalould from Saudi Arabia read out the recommendations finalised by the workshop.