Diploma course on sediment transport's closing ceremony held in USPCAS-W, MUET

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JAMSHORO: 31, DECEMBER, 2021: (Report By: Ali Murad Chandio): The closing ceremony in "Diploma Course on Sediment Transport" is held today in the U.S.-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W), Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET).
Irrigation Minister Mr Jam Khan Shoro was the Chief Guest of the closing ceremony, Secretary Irrigation GoS, Mr Sohail Ahmed Qureshi, and Prof Dr Bakhshal Lashari were the honoured guests.
Prof Dr Rasool Bux Mahar, Director USPCAS-W, MUET, welcomed all the honourable guests and participants of the ceremony. He said it is an excellent day for the irrigation engineers to rejoice with a sense of achievement, completing their Diploma in Sediment Transport. It is an equally important day for the irrigation department to start availing their engineers newly acquired expertise to address the sediment transport problem, said Dr Mahar.
Further, Dr Mahar said, The participation of Prof. Dr Sajjad Ahmed of the University of Nevada, Los Vegas, as an expert and his presence with us today is an example of our collaborative undertakings. The training and capacity building of water-related stakeholders is a significant activity of the Centre.
The Centre continually offers short and long term courses in water-related disciplines falling under the domain of SDG-6.
The Diploma in Sediment Transport is one of such activities and an example of collaborative linkages with the irrigation department. We also provide training to the irrigation department officials from Balochistan and stakeholders from different public and private organizations.
'The Centre is now recognized as a National Water Center,' said Dr Mahar.
In addition to speakers, Mr Zarif Khero, Chief Engineer, Irrigation Department, elaborated on the background of the Diploma course. He said engineering is an ever-changing field, and new technologies populate the industry every day. It is essential to adopt new technologies, development, skills and regulations within one's field.
Further, he added that significant advancements had been made in the technology of irrigation, hydrology and hydraulics, enabling more excellent crop production with better efficiency of water use. The irrigation department GoS took the initiative to build its staff capacity through short and long-term training and degree programs. After signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the diploma course is a collaborative effort of USPCAS-W MUET and Sindh Irrigation Department, Government of Sindh between the two entities, said Zarif Khero.
On occasion, Prof Dr Sajjad Ahmed thanked USPCAS-W and Sindh Irrigation department for the opportunity to conduct this training. Learning is always both ways, and through this training, I also learned a lot about the Sindh Irrigation Department and its challenges in water management. He said we covered multiple topics during the course. Our learning was not limited to classroom activities; we visited Sukkur, Kotri barrage, Rice and Nara canals during closure. Strong ties between academia and industry are vital for solving problems and training students on challenges faced by the industry, said Dr Sajjad. "Rivers write their stores through sediments by changing course and overflowing in flood planes from time to time," said Dr Sajjad.
Minister Irrigation congratulated all the training engineers on completing the Diploma Course and appreciated the USPCAS-W for taking steps to overcome the water issues of Pakistan. He said we should spare some funding to the Centre to continue the future research, courses and degree programs. He told the Irrigation department plays a vital role and faces many challenges; the Indus irrigation system faces problems after building the dams and water shortage. We are totally dependent on western rivers.
On occasion, the diploma participants include groups led by Engr. Zarif Iqbal Khero, Project Director Chotiari Reservoir Circle, Mr Sohail Hameed Baloch (S.E), Mr Qurban Ali Khoso (A.XEN), Mr Maaz Saleem (A.XEN), Dr Ali Asghar Mahessar (DY.Dir), and Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi (S.E.) of Irrigation Department, gave presentations on different projects to apply the knowledge, skills, and expertise acquired from the diploma course. Total 26 professional engineers in the Irrigation Department, Government of Sindh completed the diploma course, which included seven training modules designed by the experts of USPCAS-W MUET, the University of Utah, USA, and University Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. The participants were awarded diploma certificates.
A closing vote of thanks was given by Co-Director USPCASW. He thanked the presence and support of Minister Irrigation, resource person, faculty members, training participants and other guests. In the ceremony, Prof Dr Khan Muhammad Brohi, Dean (AR&CE), Mehran UET, the resource person Prof Dr Sajjad Ahmed, University Nevada, Las Vegas USA, Prof Dr Kamran Ansari, Co-Director USPCAS-W, University Utah, Chief Engineers, USPCAS-W Faculty, and Civil Society Activists attended the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, Dr Mahar, Dr Brohi and Dr Lashari presented the souvenir to distinguished guests. (04)

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