Indo-European Water Forum meet to be held in Delhi next week

First meeting of the Indo-European Water Forum will be held here next week, aiming to provide a platform for policy-makers to discuss issues related to water resources management in the country, and also to take home lessons from experiences and implementation of the European Water Policy.
The meeting, being co-organised by the National Water Mission, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Environment Directorate-General of European Commission, will be held on November 23 and 24.
The main themes to be covered during the meeting, which will be attended by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, include issues such as water governance and legislation, river basin management, water policy in India and the EU.

Among other issues, the participants will also hold deliberations on coping with water scarcity and ecological aspects of water management and research, innovation and business solutions for water challenges to chalk out the way forward for sustainable water management in India.
"The Forum will provide platform for policy-makers and stakeholders to discuss key issues surrounding water resources management in India, as well as transferring lessons from experience and implementation of European Water Policy," the Ministry said in a statement.
It is said that India's water challenges are complex and include quantity, allocation, quality and management issues.

Increasing competition for water among industry, agriculture, energy, domestic use and environment has highlighted importance of managing water on a river basin and multi-sectoral basis in a sustainable manner.

Agricultural sector is currently India's largest user of water, however, as urban and other demands multiply, less water is likely to be available in order to meet nation's irrigation and individual needs. Therefore proper allocation - management of the demand and efficient measures are urgently needed, the ministry added.
"In the context of these complex water challenges, the European Water Policy, centered on management at the river basin scale and integrated water management, presents a viable model for cooperation between the EU and India at national and state-level," the statement said.
The ministry further said European Policy supports the EU member states in setting up appropriate governance structures which allow for an understanding of impacts and pressures to water resources including pollutant emissions, water over-use, morphological impacts, climate change effects; land use and effects from economic activities such as energy production, industry, agriculture and tourism; urban development and demographic changes.

"This framework which determines implementation of water policies and legislation at national-level could, therefore, be used by India as a source of inspiration to integrate water resource development and management across its states," it said.