President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 8th India Water Week yesterday in Pragati Maidan. The event commenced with the auspicious ceremony of ‘Jal Bharo’ by the dignitaries on the dais. This ceremony symbolizes the immense importance of water conservation. The Water Convention, with 18 sessions planned for the event, started today with main focus on knowledge sharing and debates / discussions among water experts, professionals, technocrats and practitioners covering themes / sub themes of the event.
In her inspirational address to the conclave, Hon. President highlighted the significance of water as a vital resource for life. She also quoted ancient Vedic wisdom to stress upon the timeless importance of water conservation, drawing upon verses that reflect the sacredness of water and its vital role in sustaining life. Smt. Murmu further underscored that young minds, being foundation stones of future, should be made aware of the significance of water conservation. In her words, “Water Conservation is the only way to give a better and safer tomorrow to coming generations”. Hon. President expressed confidence that all will benefit from the exchange of ideas and technologies to be deliberated during this four-day long India Water Week 2024.
Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Paatil, addressed the august audience and emphasized the need for collective efforts to address the global water crisis. Ms. Vini Mahajan, Secretary, DoDWS, Ministry of Jal Shakti welcomed all the dignitaries and briefed about the theme of the event.
The attraction of the DAY 1 was commendable experiences shared by two grass root women Water Warriors Ms. Ujiaro Bai from Madhya Pradesh and Ms. Lakmen Mary Nongkhlaw from Meghalaya. These women have taken the initiative to bring changes and inspire others to take up the cause of water conservation. Both the warriors were given a huge round of applause by the audience.
A Ministerial Plenary session was held under the chairmanship of Shri C.R. Paatil, with participation of Ministers from various countries including Denmark, Guyana, Zimbabwe and Tanzania and also water resources ministers from various Indian States. Shri Paatil also inaugurated an Exhibition on the state-of-art technologies and solutions in the water sector.
Global Water Leaders’ Plenary is another remarkable part of the event with two sessions held today wherein Global Water leaders shared their perspectives and insights on the theme of the event.
A Country Forum, on the sidelines of IWW-2024, witnessed participation of different countries showcasing their best practices and experiences in water sector.
Another attraction of the Day was the Practitioners’ Forum that started today with sessions sharing best practices in implementation of schemes and programs in various aspects of water as well as lessons learnt during the implementation.
A cultural programme in the evening enthralled the audience.
