MoU between National Institute of Urban Affairs and Guru Ramdas School of Planning

Amritsar, October 8 (Punjab Post bureau) – A MoU on academic engagement on decentralized sanitation under the Sanitation Capacity Building Platform was signed between National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Guru Ramdas School of Planning of Guru Nanak Dev University.

Dr Jagan Shah, Director on behalf of National Institute of Urban Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Vice Chancellor Dr. Jaspal Singh Sandhu on behalf of University signed this MoU. As mentioned in the agreement, the NIUA shall provide necessary support to Guru Ramdas School of Planning of Guru Nanak Dev University for academic activities on decentralized sanitation for promoting research as live case studies, specifically of small and medium-sized urban settlements.

Regarding this, a one-day collaboratory workshop was also held by Guru Ramdas School of Planning and the National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi on Decentralized Sanitation under the Sanitation Capacity Building Platform (SCBP).  The workshop was attended by students and faculty of Guru Ramdas School of Planning. Mr. Deepinder S Kapur, Senior Domain Expert, NIUA, sensitized the students about different challenges related with existing sanitation practices and highlighted the importance of decentralized treatment systems.

The NIUA team includes Mr Mohit Kapoor and Ms Jyoti and Mr. Doab Singh has discussed several topics related to Challenges and National Policy Framework on Faecal Sludge Management. Head of Department, Dr. Kiran Sandhu has in her inaugural address has pointed out the need of sanitation problems in urban areas. In addition, urban planning and decentralized sanitation and various perspectives on technology and treatment systems were also deliberated upon by the experts from NIUA.