Bahawalpur: Speakers at a heat safety awareness workshop on Wednesday stressed the need to enhance public awareness about climate change and heatwave preparedness, highlighting the importance of collaboration between government institutions and academia to address growing environmental challenges.
The workshop was organised by the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur in collaboration with the district administration, according to an official university press release.
Addressing the participants, Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Irfan Ali Kathia said climate change had intensified extreme weather events and environmental challenges across the region. He noted that Punjab had suffered significant losses from recent floods, while Bahawalpur, being a desert region, remained particularly vulnerable to drought.
He said collaboration between government institutions and academia, in line with the vision of the Punjab chief minister, was essential for addressing climate-related challenges. He added that The Islamia University of Bahawalpur was playing a vital role in environmental research and public awareness and appreciated Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Kamran, faculty members and researchers for organising the workshop.
Deputy Commissioner Syed Hassan Raza said the district administration was implementing a public awareness campaign on heatwave safety alongside other preventive measures. He described the university’s partnership with stakeholders in organising the workshop as a positive step towards improving community preparedness.
Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment Prof Dr Tanveer Hussain Turabi said the university’s researchers were making significant contributions to environmental research and public awareness in both natural and applied sciences as well as the social sciences. He also thanked the district and divisional administrations for their support in holding the workshop.