ISLAMABAD: Japan has handed over pumps and cleaning equipment to Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) under the “Project for Upgrading of Mechanical System for Sewerage and Drainage Services in WASA Faisalabad”.
A handing over ceremony was held in Faisalabad which was attended by Hiroshi Inomata, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Mitsuyoshi Kawasaki, Chief Representative of JICA, Chaudhry AbidSher Ali, Minister of State for Water and Power, Malik Tanveer Aslam Awan, Provincial Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering, Syed Zahid Aziz, Managing Director of WASA Faisalabad and government officials.
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Under the project, pumps and cleaning equipment have been replaced in order to reduce damages from flooding which chronically hampers the life in Faisalabad. The statement added that in summer of 2010, torrential rains caused the historically worst flood disaster in Pakistan, and there was inundation damage in Faisalabad city, due to low capacity and shortage of pumps and cleaning equipment for drainage and sewerage.
To improve and maintain flow capacities of sewers and channels, pump capacities needed to be strengthened, and to cope with torrential rains during the rainy season, the number of permanently installed standby pumps were required to be increased, it added. Moreover, strengthening maintenance capacities of sewers and channels with proper equipment is also important along with strengthening of disposal station capacities.
Hiroshi Inomata, while speaking at ceremony, mentioned that Japan has been continuously working over the last decade to improve water and sanitation in Faisalabad which is as model city of Japanese assistance on the water sector and expressed his hope that the expertise and experience WASA Faisalabad has gained will be used for the benefit of the people in Pakistan.
Kawasaki while commenting on the significance of the project said the machineries provided by this project were utilized against this year’s flood, and mitigated the flood damage in Faisalabad city.
He believes this project keeps contributing to disaster management in Faisalabad. Finally, he expressed his expectation that the effort and strong ownership of the Government of Punjab and WASAs realize sustainable water service for people in Punjab. Japan has given the priority to the development of water supply facilities in urban areas of economically and socially important large cities which are now facing drastic population increase.
Currently, more than 3 million people are benefiting from the clean drinking water projects, and sewerage and drainage projects initiated by JICA. Besides development of water facilities, Japan has also been assisting capacity development of WASAs for proper management, operation and maintenance and for the provision of sufficient service to the people in a sustainable manner.
