HYDERABAD: Groundbreaking ceremony of the US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Water was performed on Thursday in the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro.

Funded by USAID, it is being established in cooperation with the University of Utah and MUET.

The groundbreaking was performed by USAID Mission Director to Pakistan John Groarke and MUE T Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Aslam Ugaili.

According to a MUET`s press release, the US official said: `This facility will help address Pakistan`s urgent needs for improved access to water.` He said, many agreements were signed between Pakistan and the US in education and energy sectors and this centre in MUET was selected in line with those pacts. He expressed the hope thatstudents of Utah university and MUET would be greatly benented through this center.Mr Ugaili termed the day historic for the university and said the facility would become one of the best centres in the country. Dr Bukhshal Lashari, director of the centre, was also present.

The USAID would equip the new centre being established at the university`s Institute of Water Resources Engineering and Management with the state of the art laboratories and research facilities.

John Groarke also met on the occasion with Master`s and PhD students.

Earlier, he visited the USAIDfunded building of the Faculty of Education.

Participants of ceremony along with the guests also visited the building of Faculty of Education and appreciated its design and facilities provided for students by USAID.

WB team briefed on water projects A delegation of the World Bank (WB) met officials of the Sindh Irrigation Drainage Authority(Sida) on Thursday.

The team was briefed about plans of Sindh water sector improvement project (WISP) and costs of other plans, according to a Sida press release.

The meeting held at the Sida secretariat Hyderabad attended by WB task team leader Abdul Hameed Azad, Engr Mohammad Ahsan, Uzma Sadaf and Quratulain, Sida managing director Babar Hussain Affandi, project director Jamal Mangan, general managers and other officials.

Sida general manager transition Nazeer Essani briefed the WB delegation that under the WISP, restoration work of Nara canal, Malchi Complex, Ranto Canal and Khipro canal were completed in the stipulated period of time.

He said Sida staff, area water board staff and abadgar organisations were being trained. Process of tenders for Phulelli and Ghotki canals were completed and within three months, contractors would start work for restoration of both canals.