India and the United Kingdom (UK) have launched joint research projects on water quality and energy demand reduction, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma said the research projects aim to deliver mutual benefits and research solutions to both the countries.
He also said the projects would address shared global sustainable development goals in areas of clean water and clean energy.
"The Ministry of Science and Technology has informed that India and the UK have launched joint research projects on 'Water Quality Research' and 'Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment' in February 2018," the minister said.
Eight projects are to be supported under the 'Water Quality Research' programme, he said.
These are related to the optical sensor platform for water quality monitoring and management of emerging contaminants, rainwater harvesting and its impacts, the rehabilitation of the Vembanad Lake, remediation of groundwater arsenic in the Ganga basin among others," he said.
It also includes sensors and treatment technologies for freshwater systems, pathways and evolution of pollutants, and antimicrobial resistance and pollutants.
Besides, four projects are to be supported under the 'Energy Demand Reduction in the Built Environment' programme, Sharma said.
These are related to energy demand reduction of residential buildings, zero-peak energy building design, integrated urban model for built environment energy research and community-scale energy demand reduction in India, he said.
Sharma pointed out that these projects will be supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India, in collaboration with the UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Social Research Council (ESRC).
"The research projects aim to deliver mutual benefits and research solutions to the two countries, and also address shared global sustainable development goals in the areas of clean water and clean energy," he said.
The 'Water Quality Research Programme' would provide better understanding of the sources and fate of different pollutants, which would enable development of appropriate technologies and management strategies, he noted.
"These projects would also enable development of effective techniques to address water quality issues and securing the provision of clean water, rejuvenation of rivers and other water bodies, and should bring benefits to both people and the environment," he said.
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