Team Blitz India
THERE are huge investment opportunities for private sector in various areas of water management, stated Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Debashree Mukherjee at the 9th India Industry Water Conclave and 11th Ficci Water Awards here last Friday.
According to her, the sectors include water storage, climate change, improving the river and water bodies, dam safety, and rehabilitation.
Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, G Asok Kumar, shared that recently the Government had signed and launched the ‘Global River Cities Alliance’, during the COP28 meeting in Dubai.
Speaking on the use of treated water in agriculture, he added that it is now being looked at for irrigation purposes which will reduce the extraction of fresh water from rivers.
Start-ups are playing a key role in the development of water management, said Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, D Thara.
“If there is one thing which can put India back on the path of progress, it is our water situation and there is a need to improve the overall water security in the country,” she added.
“Wastewater is not waste; it should be regarded as used water and can be used again for other purposes. This important resource has to be reclaimed and we all should work together to solve this with the use of new technologies and artificial intelligence,” she noted.
Reclaiming water can increase water supplies for different uses, reflected Ficci’s past president and Chair, Ficci Water Mission, Naina Lal Kidwai.