RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed here on Monday between World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) and Information Technology University (ITU) to create and maintain an effective working relationship between two organisations with the aim to further their common objective of fostering multi-disciplinary research activities for nature conservation in Pakistan.

Dr Umar Saif, Vice Chancellor ITU and Hammad Naqi Khan Director General WWF-Pakistan signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.

Talking to the media, Dr Umar Saif said the MoU would ensure the monitoring of environment by deploying censors in already installed 300 WiFi hotspots to monitor the pollution level. It would also help in monitoring and tracking the blind dolphins available in the Indus River, he added.

This MoU will facilitate the already on-going ICT enabled research and conservation efforts regarding Indus river dolphin using acoustics at BiSMiL Lab (Laboratory for Bio-inspired Simulation & Modelling of intelligent life), Information Technology University.

It will also promote joint studies on biodiversity conservation and field research on other species and habitats in Pakistan, using bio-acoustics, imaging and mobile-based technologies.

It will also encompass studies related to sustainable agriculture and modern fisheries in the habitat of Indus dolphin. A joint research fund, on matching grant basis, will be established by both the organizations to facilitate such studies for the period of 2017-20.