New Delhi, Sep 22 (PTI) Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on Tuesday called for a collective global approach to water management, emphasising advanced technologies, nature-based solutions, long-term planning and institutional resilience to tackle the growing impact of climate change on water resources.
Addressing the ministerial plenary session of the ninth India International Water Week here, Patil said rivers and nature could serve as a unifying force and stressed that water security requires shared responsibility and cooperation among countries.
He advocated the use of cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to strengthen water conservation efforts and improve reservoir management.
Patil also emphasised the need to move beyond approaches centred solely on concrete-based infrastructure and give greater importance to nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration to build resilience against climate change.
The minister called for continuous research, training programmes and demonstration projects to build the capacity of water professionals and equip the next generation to deal with emerging water-related challenges.
His call for a coordinated approach to water management found resonance among international speakers at the session, with representatives from the World Bank, Denmark, the Netherlands and Venezuela highlighting the need for stronger institutions, data-driven planning, technological cooperation and preparedness against climate-related disasters.
World Bank’s South Asia Regional Director Mara K Warwick said the World Bank is supporting India on several fronts, including the country’s dam rehabilitation and safety programme, which she described as the world’s largest of its kind benefiting 40 million people across more than 500 dams.
She said the National Hydrology Programme has helped build the “data backbone” needed to manage India’s river basins over the long term.
“Namami Gange has taken a holistic rejuvenation approach building nearly 4,000 million litres a day of treatment capacity, a 30-fold increase since 2014,” Warwick said.
She said India’s experience in water management, given the country’s diverse geography, hydrology and economy, has lessons that are relevant to other countries.
Danish Ambassador to India Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen said water security is synonymous with securing the future and called for water to be managed as an interconnected system rather than in silos.
“As climate change puts increasing pressure on our water resources, securing water also means securing our future,” he said.
Kristensen said drinking water, groundwater, wastewater, rivers and storm water are interconnected and therefore climate resilience requires governments to adopt a systems approach.
He said technology alone cannot solve water challenges and its impact depends on how it is connected with policies, institutions and people.
The Danish envoy also called for stronger partnerships involving national and state authorities, cities, utilities, researchers, technology providers and communities.
He said Denmark’s experience of long-term planning, strong institutions, innovation and cooperation across the water cycle can be combined with India’s experience of implementing large-scale programmes and scalable solutions.
Dutch Ambassador to India Marisa Gerards highlighted the long-standing water partnership between the two countries and said climate change-related challenges such as extreme rainfall, drought and rising sea levels require greater cooperation, technology exchange and innovation.
“Heat and drought, extreme rainfall, rising sea levels are threatening the well-being and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people in both our countries,” she said.
Gerards said the Netherlands and India have been working together under their strategic water partnership signed in 2022, including on the Ganga basin, urban water management and flood protection in the Sundarbans.
She highlighted the importance of nature-based solutions and cited mangrove forests in the Sundarbans as an example of how ecosystems can help protect communities from flooding.
The Dutch envoy said the two countries can learn from each other’s experiences in addressing the challenges posed by water and climate change.
Speaking on the occasion, Venezuelan Vice Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation Yesenia Carolina Moreno Gerdel called for stronger multilateral cooperation, technology exchange and climate and emergency financing mechanisms to protect water infrastructure during disasters.
She referred to the earthquakes that struck northern and central Venezuela on June 24, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, and said the disaster put critical infrastructure, including potable water and sanitation systems, to the test.
“The water systems in nations facing disasters require an unprecedented financial, technical, and human effort,” she said.
Moreno Gerdel said access to water is a human right that has to be safeguarded against disasters and called for greater international support to strengthen the resilience of water systems.
She said the experience of the earthquakes has reinforced Venezuela’s conviction that resilience is not merely about withstanding hardship but also about protecting natural resources and ensuring that communities can recover.
The ninth India International Water Week is being held in New Delhi with the theme ‘Climate Resilient Water Management’ from September 22 to 26. PTI ADI KVK
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(PTI News)
