Environmental degradation termed biggest challenge

University of Karachi Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, has said environmental degradation was the biggest challenge for the country and it needed to be addressed on emergency basis.
He said this at the inaugural ceremony of state of the art "Water Testing Laboratory" established at the Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Karachi, on Wednesday. The VC said that an awareness campaign should be launched to keep the masses aware about the threats of environmental degradation, adding that more public-private partnership needed in this regard.
He appreciated the Merck Marker (Pvt) Ltd for setting up the state of the art testing laboratory in the University, where expertise was available for conducting both microbiological and chemical tests. He invited the industrial sector to bring water samples at the laboratory to get the analytical results comparable to any national and international standards.
He said that linkage between the university and industries should be strengthened to attain a sustainable future of the country. On the occasion, Juergen Koenig, Managing Director, Merck Marker said that the issue of a commercial water testing laboratory had been ignored up till now. He said the company by providing the necessary equipment along with the basic training of using the instruments had contributed towards solving the basic issues.
"Projects like this show the involvement of the company and efforts to provide quality healthcare to the common people by joining hands with public sector," he said. He said water pollution had a direct impact on health and overall quality of life, adding that contaminated drinking water was a major source of transmitting human disease.
According to World Health Organisation report, about 40 percent deaths in developing countries occur due to water related diseases, he said. In Pakistan there were efforts to provide clean drinking water but it was only for urban areas housing 32 percent of the country's population. The remaining 68 percent still not having heard of the drinking water quality, he said.
Dr Moazzam Ali Khan, In charge, Institute of Environmental Studies, Karachi University said that the university was working to solve industrial problems pertaining to the environment by developing indigenous and viable technology.
The establishment of water testing laboratory was a step in this regard. Akhlaq Ahmed, Pro Vice Chancellor, Karachi University, Professor Dr Nikhat Yasmin, the Dean Faculty of Sciences, Karachi University also spoke on the occasion.