The University of Nebraska Medical Centre (UNMC), USA, has expressed its interest in extending its expertise in the fields of natural resources and water management for enabling accelerated agricultural growth and judicious and optimum water use in the State.
The UNMC, which is supporting the Asian Institute of Public Health (AIPH) in setting up the country’s first Public Health University here, has proposed to assist the State Government in developing systems for effective water management for agriculture and drinking, flood and drought management as well as cropping patterns and soil toxicology.
Apart from being a major medical and public health university, the UNMC has highly specialised departments like Agriculture Centre, Natural Resource Management and the internationally renowned Water for Food Institute.
“Water availability is evolving a major threat for the future that could fuel war. The focus across the world, thus, has shifted to proper water management. Strategies are being oriented towards addressing the problems of pollution and contamination of water and making it usable for varied purposes,” Director, Centre for Global Health and Development, UNMC, Dr PK Panigrahi said.
Panigrahi on Saturday called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to discuss areas of mutual cooperation in the fields of natural resources management and water issues.
“For example, water toxicology which is becoming a major concern today can be properly studied and effectively treated. The UNMC has developed sentinel fish-based systems which can identify the toxins, metal presence or pollution levels within days which in conventional methods take months or even years”, Dr Panigrahi said.
The issues of water and natural resources are all indispensably linked to public health. “The interventions would be invaluable to make a holistic approach for addressing public health concerns. The Public Health University can have speciality Departments in Natural Resources Management, Water for Food and even Bio-preparedness on the lines of UNMC. This will attract expertise in form of scientists, faculty and researchers from across the world to set stage for the work,” he added.
The meeting attended by Additional Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra, Health Secretary PK Mohapatra, AIPH Director Dr PR Mishra and Head of Research Dr BS Das also discussed expediting the work on establishment of the University at Gramadiha in Khurda district.
As per the MoU with the State Government, the University to come up in 50 acre will be ready to start its academic activities from 2016.