ISLAMABAD: The Government of Japan has agreed to provide grants approximately worth 1,986 million Japanese Yen (equivalent to around 19 million USD/around 3,057 million PKR) for installation of weather surveillance radar in Sukkur, Sindh province, said a press release.

Notes to this effect were signed and exchanged between Matsuda Kuninori, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan and Noor Ahmed, secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs in Islamabad and a Grant Agreement (G/A) on the details of implementation of the project was signed and exchanged between Furuta Shigeki, Chief Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Pakistan Office and Syeda Adeela Bokhari, Joint Secretary (Japan/NGO/INGO), Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Weather surveillance radars have been upgrade in Islamabad, Karachi and to be establish in Multan under JICA`s grand aid.

Under this project, new weather radar is developed in Sukkur, Sindh province.

It covers a gap for weather surveillance and develops a weather surveillance radar network which can cover around 90 percent of the whole country.

It is expected that this project will enhance capacity on weather surveillance of Pakistan and contribute to mitigation of damages caused by natural and hydro-meteorological disasters.

In the signing ceremony, Matsuda Kuninori, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan stated, “The Government of Japan will continue to work together with Pakistan to make this country disaster-resilient; making good use of experience and expertise Japan has gained from many disasters in the past.” Furuta Shigeki mentioned “Enhancement of weather surveillance capacity will mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters”.

Both emphasized importance of disaster management. Through this grant aid, the Government of Japan and the JICA continues to assist disaster management conducted by the Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.—PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021