Water needs to become everyone’s business

New Delhi: Water has become one of the focus areas for the government and steps are being taken to ensure water availability in rural areas and villages. Water conservation. Rainwater harvesting and watershed development are in the process of development for water conservation and monitoring the usage, deliberated Mr. Rattan Lal Kataria, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Government of India in the Virtual National Conference on Water & Society organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in association with Amway.
 
Mr. Rattan Lal Kataria while lauding the diligent efforts of the PHD Chamber in focusing on MSMEs and other issues of the world mentioned that Water is important for sustaining growth and life on earth. With the lifestyle change, rise in industrialization, and climate change, there is a need for maintaining the purity and availability of water so that the needs of present and future generations are maintained.
 
He mentioned that the government is taking contact steps and efforts in this issue. He shared that this year is the third phase of Jal Shakti Abhiyan and the National Water Mission was helped in controlling the usage of water along with Rain Water Harvesting.
 
Mr. U P Singh, I.A.S., Secretary, Jal Shakti, Government of India while deliberating about the importance of water, water criticality, and decreased per capita water availability, mentioned that factors like Global Warming, fluctuation in rainfall cycle, industrialization, pollution, population, and climate change has also led to in availability and contamination of water.
 
While talking about the various government initiatives that included Catch the Rain Campaign, Atal Rural Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, and E-Jal Shakti that simultaneously aims towards sustainable supply management of water and importance of water budgeting and water security plan. Mr. Singh emphasized that that water needs to become everyone’s business. He also informed that the government is planning in monitoring water usage with the help is the technology and digital intervention.
 
Mr. Rajat Banerji, VP, Corporate Affairs, Amway India Enterprise while talking about Amway’s contribution towards water harvesting methods for attaining its conservation and sustainability and presented certain initiatives of Amway that included Amway’s Compendium on water scarcity, its Water and Soil Conservation Project working towards specific water structures, deepening of supply channels and desilting and band strengthening. He highlighted that the need of the hour is to mitigate water scarcity and industry needs to take responsibility to replenish water and conserve it.
 
Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in his presidential address lauded India’s initiatives in controlling the pandemic via its pan-India vaccination drive and India’s capabilities to export vaccines to combat global interest alongside self-interest.
 
While giving a background about the importance and usage of water since history, Mr. Aggarwal emphasized the need to conserve water with the increasing population, demand but less availability. He mentioned the need of the hour is a systematic water distribution network so that the needs can be catered efficiently. He also talked about PHD Chamber’s Rural Development Foundation that works on dam building and other sustainable activities towards water conservation and storage.
 
Mr. Vishal Chaudhary, Chairman, Jharkhand State Chapter, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in his welcome address mentioned that we need to focus on three priority areas that are effective labor reforms; initiatives for the upliftment of the healthcare industry by attracting private players through subsidies and other benefits and water conservation schemes to the undue crisis of water scarcity.
 
Mr. Varun Gupta, Chairman, Water Committee, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry deliberated about the importance of water and the change in the lifestyle habits hampering the quality and quantity of water in India. He mentioned the need for water conservation for meeting future needs. Pollution and population have led to contamination of water and the need of the hour to understand and implement the techniques for water conservation. He suggested pumping systems and synergy methods by increasing interactions between the government and businesses on issues related to usage and exploitation of water.
 
Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, Deputy Secretary General, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in his concluding remarks informed the delegates and participants that PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a certified water auditor and, we can help to audit water for the industries to regulate its consumption.
 
The conference was moderated by Dr. Yogesh Srivastav, Assistant Secretary General, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was attended by many industry stalwarts pan-India. /(January 21, 2021)