Parliamentary meeting organised at the 10th World Water Forum

Our Correspondent

Phagwara, May 23

The Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Indonesian House of Representatives organised a parliamentary meeting at the 10th World Water Forum at Nusa Dua, Bali. It provides an opportunity for lawmakers worldwide to promote legislation addressing water scarcity, improve parliamentary cooperation on increasing access to clean water, and inspire water-related actions for global security and prosperity. The event united parliaments globally to enhance collaborative activities on water-related concerns, promoting information sharing, exchange of practices and experiences, and partnership building.

During the plenary session, Rajya Sabha MP Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal emphasised the integral relationship between water and climate change, noting that water is crucial to our daily existence, economies, and the ecosystems that sustain our planet. Expressing concerns over global warming and glacier melting, he highlighted that rising temperatures are altering atmospheric circulation patterns, leading to changes in rainfall, and causing severe weather events such as storms, hurricanes, and floods. He cited examples of India’s participation in managing shared water resources with neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan through the India-Ganga Basin Cooperation and global climate agreements.

During World Water Forum’s session, Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu, MP Rajya Sabha, highlighted several initiatives undertaken by India to encourage nationwide rainwater harvesting and accelerate water conservation, including the Jal Jeevan Mission, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, interlinking of Indian rivers, and the dam rehabilitation and improvement project. She also noted that with 5,334 large operational dams and approximately 411 under construction, India ranks third in the world.

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