PESHAWAR, March 9: A mission of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has held a meeting with provincial authorities to finalise modalities for a project aimed at establishing monitoring systems of air and water quality in the country.

NWFP Environment Protection Agency Director-General Hammad Awais Agha told APP that the Jica mission was led by Iwasaki Eiji.

He said the delegation was briefed about the provincial government’s initiatives, studies and laws for environment protection, particularly regarding air and water pollution.

The mission was informed that the NWFP chief secretary had constituted a committee to prepare a plan for implementation of the existing laws aimed at ensuring provision of safe drinking water to the public.

The EPA DG said the ‘Establishment of environ-

ment monitoring system in Pakistan’ plan would be funded by Japan.

The project approved by the executive committee of the National Economic Council focused on establishment of monitoring systems of air and water quality, he said.

It was an umbrella project which would be executed jointly by the federal and provincial governments, Mr Agha said.

The cost of the project, he said, was Rs1.089 billion, of which Rs1 billion would be given by the Japan government through Jica and the remaining amount would be contributed by the federal government.

Under the project, 13 fixed and four mobile centres would be established throughout the country for monitoring air and water quality, he said.

Data collecting and analysing equipment would be installed in four cities, he said.

EPA laboratories would be provided latest equipment under the project, he said.—APP