Policymakers attend water mgmt conclave

Guwahati: Several policymakers joined a brainstorming session at the Water Management Conclave organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Guwahati. The focus of the conclave was on making water accessible to households through appropriate technology and public-private partnerships.
Assam’s housing and urban affairs minister, Ashok Singhal, discussed the various initiatives undertaken by state govt to address the water crisis in different cities and towns.“Assam is blessed with abundant water resources. Water can easily be supplied with proper technology and public private initiatives. The people of the northeast have the highest per capita water resources in the country. But we face some problems in the dry season. ”
Lalnilawma, Mizoram’s minister of state for rural development, horticulture, and public health engineering, highlighted the challenges faced by the hilly state and govt’s efforts to address them. “The situation in Mizoram is alarming as the rivers are drying up fast due to deforestation and pollution. The right approach now is integrated water management with proper use,” the minister said.
ICC’s Assam and Meghalaya state council chairman said, “All ancient civilizations grew around sustainable water resources, which helped them to survive and thrive. Water is crucial for food security, trade and transportation, industrialisation and ecological balance. World Bank data shows that almost 50% of the developing world’s population, which accounts for 2.5 billion people, lack improved sanitation facilities and almost 1 billion people still use unsafe drinking water sources.”