GEEF Awards Spotlight Innovations for a Water-Secure Future at Global WaterTech Summit
The Global WaterTech Summit 2024, held on July 26 at JW Marriott Aerocity in New Delhi, gathered India’s foremost water industry leaders to exchange ideas and develop solutions for the nation’s water challenges. In collaboration with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Gov ernment of India, the summit highlighted strategies to address water scarcity, concluding with the prestigious GEEF Global Awards 2024, which honored trailblazers and innovators in water management.
Dr. Bibek Bandyopadhyay, Former Senior Advisor to the Government of India, opened the summit, emphasizing water's significance with his statement, “Water is One.” He discussed trends in water treatment and distribution, noting that optimizing energy use in these operations remains a key challenge. Dr. Bandyopadhyay also pointed out that population growth is exacerbating water scarcity issues.
Shri Shashi Shekhar, Former Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, shared his policy expertise, underscoring the need for an eco-system-based approach to water management, spanning from mountains to seas. He highlighted that over 40% of urban water is wasted, advocating for sensor-controlled water supply systems to minimize losses.
Shri Kushvinder Vohra, Chairman of the Central Water Commission, presented compelling statistics on India’s water availability and
stressed the impact of climate change on rain-fall patterns. Noting that 85% of India’s water is currently used for agriculture - with demand projected to reach 1180 billion cubic meters by 2050 - he called for “Pani Panchayats” to encourage participatory water management.
Shri Rakesh Kumar Verma, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, highlighted government-funded
water initiatives and emphasized the need for private sector innovation. He advocated for an ecosystem that supports startups and venture capital in water technology, urging larger corporations to play a more active role in fostering these efforts.
The summit saw active engagement from public and private sectors, water development bodies, and planning agencies, all
showcasing their achievements and advocating for stronger cross-agency support.
The event culminated with the Global Water Awards ceremony, where GEEF honored winners with a trophy and citation for their exceptional contributions to water sustainability. The evaluation process for the award was meticulous and rigorous with applications scrutinized by an eminent jury. The panel was chaired by Dr. Bibek Bandyopadhyay Former Senior Advisor to the Government of India, Dr. NB Mazumdar Honorary Chairman International Academy of Environmental Sanitation and Public Health, Dr. Sushil Gupta Former Chairman Central Ground Water Board, Mr. Avinash Mishra Former Adviser (Water Resources) NITI Aayog, Dr. Khajanchi Lal Principal Scientist ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute and Mr. Punit Singh Nagi Director of Projects
The GEEF.
Through the summit and awards, GEEF fostered partnerships and strengthened public engagement in sustainable water
management, further solidifying its role as a leader in promoting water conservation, sanitation, and innovative solutions.
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