Efficient management of extreme events of hydrological or geological nature at all tiers will not only save precious human lives, but will also minimise material and financial losses and damages to assets and property.
Federal Minister for Environment, Hameedullah Jan Afridi said this while speaking at the inaugural session of a three-day international workshop on 'Education for Managing Hydrological Extremes and Related Geo-Hazards', which was jointly organised by National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), here on Monday.
The minister stressed the need for educating all stakeholders at various echelons starting from top level policymakers, executing agencies, middle level technical hands to common man in the communities who bear the brunt of these extreme events. He said, "Given the realisation of awareness to overcome challenges and a dedicated effort to surmount these, we are bound to succeed."
Earlier, Rector NUST Engineer Muhammad Asghar said that hydrological extremes (floods and droughts) and related geo-hazards (mud slides and debris flow) are of growing concern for global, regional and national stakeholders. "People at all tiers of life are affected because of these events, "he said and added that NUST has taken a lead in organising the international workshop and efforts are in hand to establish a Unesco Centre of Excellence at its campus for entire South Asia.
Professor Dr Gretchen Kalonji, Unesco, France; Professor Dr Shahbaz Khan, Unesco France; Professor Soontak Lee, Chairman IHP, Korea, Dr Shamsul Mulk, Ex. Chairman, Wapda; Riaz Ahmed Khan, Advisor Minister W&P/Ex Chairman Federal Flood Commission also spoke on the occasion.-PR