Bisleri will share its findings with the central government to facilitate discussions and develop a framework, advancing the concept of water credits for the beverages industry. The proposal is aimed at making beverage makers more accountable towards water usage.
Mumbai: Packaged water maker Bisleri is looking to introduce water credits akin to carbon credits, aimed at making beverage makers more accountable for water usage.
The company has partnered TERI School of Advanced Studies to conduct a study that would set a benchmark for the beverage industry's commitment to water conservation.
The study assumes significance given that several large beverage makers have been criticized for extracting water from water stressed areas. Several companies now report initiatives to replenish water used during their manufacturing process.
Green credit for water conservation
Bisleri said it will share its findings with the central government to facilitate discussions and develop a framework, advancing the concept of water credits for the beverages industry.
“The water sector can generate green credits through water conservation, water harvesting, and water use efficiency, including treatment and reuse of wastewater," the company said. This will be similar to how companies buy credits to offset their emissions.
"This report is about proposing a model to the government—they can use and craft it. So, we are requesting the government to set up a platform as quickly as possible, similar to carbon credits, using this as a template," Angelo George, CEO, Bisleri International said in an interview.
Water savings need localized approaches
The study aimed to review national and international practices and policies in water trading, water credits and fiscal instruments and develop a methodological framework to estimate water footprint of a production unit. The study also tested and estimated the water footprint of two production units of Bisleri in two distinctly different terrains.
Unlike carbon emissions, water savings require a localized approach, factoring in variables such as rainfall and consumption at a watershed level, it said.
Problem of water scarcity
In India, 11 out 15 major river basins will be water-stressed by 2025, with per-capita annual water availability below 1,700 cubic meters, according to data from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think tank.
Bisleri’s move also comes after the government notified a Green Credit Program (GCP ) in October, 2023. The CPG is a market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies. In its initial phase, the CPG will focus on two key activities i.e. water conservation and afforestation. However, there is no official platform yet that permits trading of green credits in India.
Those in the beverage industry said that while the idea is novel, it could face challenges in implementation. “This is a responsible way for the industry to be more water-efficient, although several large companies are already replenishing water they use," said a senior executive in the beverages industry, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Additionally, ground water usage in India is already governed by various national and state-level rules that restrict the amount of water companies can draw for industrial and commercial use.
For instance, bottled water companies must obtain necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for groundwater extraction and then undertake measures for groundwater replenishment. Packaged water units are also penalized for going above the minimum quantum of ground water withdrawal. Rates of ground water abstraction charges for packaged drinking water units vary in safe, semi-critical and critical assessment units, per rules laid out by the Central Ground Water Authority. However, companies also use other sources such as surface or municipal water—tariffs on which are different.
Others said the move is largely aligned to step up sustainable and environment-friendly practices followed by companies.
"If companies are able to follow efficient water use practices and earn credits their processes will be considered more environmentally friendly, because they are going to reduce their water footprint. Moreover, internationally, their product will have more acceptance, because you're contributing to environmental conservation. Third, is that it also reduces regulatory and reputational risk for organizations, said Nitin Bassi, senior programme lead for the sustainable water team at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
However, Bassi warns that creating a baseline water footprint for the industry may have its challenges given the scale and scope of a given water unit. Smaller water units may be at a disadvantage when it comes to assessing their water footprint as their technology may not be at par with those deployed that large companies. "Additionally, while undertaking such projects, validating claims in the long-run becomes a challenge," he said.
Read MoreGuwahati, April 30: A two-day-long ‘Exposure Visit Programme’ for CBSE School Principals has successfully culminated here today at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) where 34 school principals from various renowned CBSE schools from across the country participated.
The visit has been organized by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in collaboration with USTM from 29th to 30th April 2024. The program has been supported by the Department of Skill Education, CBSE under the Skill Education sector.
Addressing the school principals in an interactive session today, Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM said that the role of a school principal is multifaceted and essential for creating an environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. He welcomed all the participants and said that USTM is always open to extending all kinds of support to uplift school education.
In the inaugural session yesterday, Prof GD Sharma, Vice Chancellor of USTM welcomed all the school principals and said that the National Education Policy 2020 has emphasized on Skill Education to become integral to School and Higher Education. Accordingly, CBSE has envisioned promoting Skill Education from Class 6th onwards in all its affiliated schools. He said that an added benefit of such an exposure visit is that it gives the principals a chance to meet other like-minded school leaders, share stories, and gain a lot in the process.
Speaking on this occasion, Dr Jagadish Barman, Jt Secretary, CBSE Centre of Excellence Guwahati said, “This Exposure Visit is expected to leverage the synergies between schools and Higher Educational Institutions and create a positive platform for cohesive interaction in the future learning ecosystem.”
These Principals may, in turn, mentor the teachers of schools in their neighborhood thus, unfold unlimited opportunities for educator empowerment, he added.
In this context, Prof Amit Choudhury, Dean, School of Technology and Management at USTM said that this year CBSE has selected USTM for principals’ exposure visit apart from six other institutions including TERI School of Advanced Studies New Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Asian Academy of Film Television Noida, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, Whistling Woods International Mumbai, and Indian Institute of Management–Raipur. The resource persons from USTM were: Dr E Karim, Dr Azmol H Barbhuiya, Dr Monalisa Bora Deka, Dr Alika Borgohain, Dr Baharul Islam, Dr K Aye, Dr S Gazi, Dr Nitu Borgohain, Dr Deboja Sharma, Dr Moutushi Das, Dr Mehjabin Rahman, Dr Papiya Dutta, Dr Palme Borthakur.
Dr Nirmaljit Singh Kalsi, Chairman, National Council for Vocational Education and Training took an online session on “Up-scaling of Skill Education in line with NEP 2020”. Several sessions took place on both days.
The participating schools in the program were Christ International School Bangalore, Mahavir Senior Model School Delhi, RS Jhunjhunwala International School Gujarat, Poddar International School Maharashtra, Manipal School, Brahmani Public School Odisha, DPS Ahomgaon Guwahati, Faculty HS School North Guwahati, Sharada Vidyaniketan Public School Mangalore, Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 Kunjaban, KV NFR Maligaon, Ideal English Senior Secondary School Manipur, Livingstone Foundation International, PM Shri KV Khanapara, Holy Brook Sr. Sec. School, North East Public School Udalguri, Army Public School PRTC Bangalore, SBOA Public School Guwahati, The Priceton School, Sree Swami Vivekananda Higher Primary School, Kendriya Vidyalaya NEHU Shillong, Army Public School Shillong, SJ Patel Eng School Gujarat, Delhi World Public School Haryana, Jnana Ganga Central School, Dr. M Ramanna Shetty Memorial English Medium High School, Kendriya Vidyalaya ONGC Agartala, Kendriya Vidyalaya Assam University, Kendriya Vidyalaya Aizawl, Buhai School Sikkim and Kingcup Public School Itanagar.
Read MoreIPCA Centre for Waste Management and Research, TERI SAS, in collaboration with India Development Service (IDS), USA, organised an international conference on ‘Solid Waste Management for Good Health and Wellbeing’ on 1st March 2024. Several experts from medical services, NGOs, urban local bodies, and recyclers participated in the event. While delivering the keynote address, Deputy WHO Representative to India Ms Payden emphasised that “health sector alone cannot address the issues faced by communities associated with waste management sector, inter and intra-sectoral collaborations is the key and the involvement of people and communities stands important”.
Prof Arun Kansal, Vice Chancellor, TERI SAS, emphasised the need to synchronise the aims of waste management, pollution control, and a healthy, sustainable, and thriving community. Focusing on waste management for health in many ways leads to the definition of purpose for engineers. Health brings in a critical human element to waste management schemes, which is as crucial as trucks and infrastructure. Dr Prasad from the University of Colorado presented a case study mapping health care along solid waste supply chains. Dr Venkatesh from Karlstad University, Sweden, presented his extensive research on ragpickers in India.
Participants organised themselves to deliberate on community health and waste management, New imperatives for waste management policies and regulations, Fiscal measures, and stakeholder roles.
Mr Ashish Jain, Founder Director of IPCA, thanked participants and summarised the need for an integrated community-based approach through effective intersectoral coordination where waste management for health leads to the definition of purpose for Engineers in municipal bodies.
Read MoreDate | News Title | Source |
02-June-2024 | Bisleri proposes water credit ... | Mint (Online) |
30-April-2024 | Principals from CBSE schools a... | The Shillong Times (Online) |
02-March-2024 | International Conference on So... | Skilloutlook (Online) |
28-February-2024 | Rising medical costs is eating... | Deccan Herald (Online) |
29-January-2024 | Padma Shri for Kurseong man Dr... | The Statesman (Online) |
08-September-2023 | G20 & Climate Change & Action:... | Online |
16-July-2023 | Trans Yamuna area of Delhi has... | Jagran (Online) |
11-June-2023 | Surya Foundation dwara Rashtri... | Uttam Hindu; Page No. 05 |
07-June-2023 | Hurdles on the way. Why India ... | The Hindu Businessline (Online) |
23-April-2023 | Subsidence in an Indian town r... | The Japan Times (Online) |
A year after Haryana's EMP submitted to NGT said it will notify Najafgarh as a wetland, state officials said they have prepared a re-assessment plan
GURUGRAM: The Haryana government intends to reassess the status of Najafgarh Jheel with a two-year action plan that puts on hold implementation of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) directed by the NGT, and as a result, at least a delay in notifying the area as a wetland.
State officials said on Sunday that the government will submit a report for the two-year assessment plan within 10 days to the inter-ministerial committee formed by the Union environment ministry. The committee will likely submit the report before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on July 31.
The committee was formed after NGO INTACH filed a petition before the NGT in 2018, seeking declaration of Najafgarh as a wetland and measures for conservation. The NGT had then asked both the Delhi and Haryana governments - as the 4,740 hectare-water body is divided among the states - to prepare separate EMPs
A year after Haryana's EMP submitted to NGT said it will notify Najafgarh as a wetland, state officials said they have prepared a re-assessment plan.
Over the next two years, this plan will aim at draining water from the submerged area in Najafgarh because officials believe most of the region is under wastewater released from Gurugram . It involves creating a 6km-bundh near the water body, installation of gates and pumps around to it to divert wastewater to the Jhajjar drain, and connecting the Najafgarh drain to the Badshapur and Dhanwapur drains.
After this exercise, expected to take at least two years, the state will study how much area in Najafgarh is still under water. The EMP will be implemented on the areas that are naturally submerged, officials said.
"We will be submitting a report within a week or 10 days to the inter-ministerial committee. We had a meeting on Wednesday in Delhi regarding the same. It has been observed that 10 years back, the submergence area in Najafgarh used to be 100-150 acres, now it has expanded to 2,000 acres. We are trying to identify the reasons. This area is not a natural wetland as it gets flooded because of the wastewater of Gurugram . We will try to manage this issue," said Virender Singh, engineer-in-chief of the state's irrigation department.
Singh is the nodal officer for assessing Najafgarh's status as a wetland.
"Najafgarh is not a natural wetland and thus the state government does not think that it needs an EMP at present," he added.
When asked if the Haryana government was planning to withdraw the EMP, he said that no such decision had been taken yet. "After the assessment, if we find that 20-30 acres is still getting flooded, then we will have an EMP," the nodal officer added.
The Najafgarh jheel spanning across 4,740 hectares - 2,600 in Delhi and 2,140 in Haryana - is a key habitat for migratory and resident birds. Nearly 300 bird species are spotted in the jheel every year. It acts as a large aquifer to recharge groundwater of neighbouring areas, including Gurugram . Many creeks from the Aravallis also flow into the water body.
Experts said on Sunday the move by the Haryana government could not just delay the EMP, but also completely do away with the need to declare it as a wetland.
"This plan of Haryana clearly indicates that it doesn't have any intention of declaring Najafgarh area as a wetland or implementing the EMP. This is a concern... The area is not suitable for construction," said Vaishali Rana Chandra, a Gurugram -based environmentalist.
Both the Delhi and Haryana governments last year submitted their EMPs for Najafgarh jheel's conservation to the NGT, which was hearing the INTACH petition.
They had expressed the intent to declare it as a wetland under the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, which would give the two governments powers to introduce conservation measures and prohibit activities such as encroachments, disposal of waste, etc.
Haryana's EMP had noted that the water body was useful for a range of reaons - as flood buffer, carbon sink and biodiversity hotspot, among others.
The Delhi EMP had also pointed out that the jheel was a "critical natural infrastructure for the region" and provided "habitat to numerous plant and animal species".
The Haryana EMP had been prepared by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB). The government in March this year made the irrigation department the nodal agency for assessment of Najafgarh as a wetland, with the state's pollution board no longer a part of the exercise.
Ritu Rao, a research scholar at the Teri School of Advanced Studies who is working on urban water-bodies sustainability, underscored the need to protect wetlands. "Wetlands can be natural or man-made, inland or coastal, permanent or temporary... These wetlands are critical for buffering floods, treating wastewater, recharging groundwater, moderating microclimate and sustaining the biodiversity of a region," she said.
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