Japan to provide Rs6bln aid for water treatment

ISLAMABAD: Japan on Saturday agreed to provide Pakistan with approximately Rs6 billion of grant-in-aid for improvement of water treatment plant and water distribution system in Faisalabad.

Economic Affairs Division Secretary Noor Ahmed and Ambassador of Japan Kuninori Matsuda signed the exchange notes and record of discussions on behalf of their governments.

This is the third intervention by the Japanese government in WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) to address the issues being faced by urban cities in Pakistan. The similar assistance was extended to Faisalabad for replacement of pumping machinery at in-line booster pump station and terminal reservoirs worth $13.4 million and to metropolitan corporation of Islamabad worth $4.7 million.

Ahmed said Pakistan values the reciprocal and congenial relations with Japan and both countries share mutual stance on most of the regional and international affairs.

“Pakistan is one of the developing countries where the limited water resources are depleting drastically due to rapid population growth and increasing economic activities, and water is the core source of not only sustainability of life but also various developmental sectors such as health, agriculture, energy, urban and industrial development,” he added. “Therefore, Japan’s assistance regarding water and sanitation is highly valued by Pakistan. Japanese economic assistance has played and shall continue to play a vital role in the socio economic uplift of Pakistan.”

Ambassador Matsuda said this is the single largest grant-in-aid from Japan to Pakistan this year. “Instead of being known as the land of rising sun, Japan may be called as a source of clean drinking water after this assistance.”

Faisalabad is the third most populated city of Pakistan with population of 3.8 million, limited water resources and ineffective water distribution network along with threats of industrial wastes and sewerage deposits flowing into the water supply pose serious environmental and health hazards. This project will enhance the capacity of WASA Faisalabad in distribution of clean drinking water supply to the city. And this project will build capacity of Punjab government to replicate the same model in other cities.