5th WWF in Istanbul to discuss Asian water crisis

Nava Thakuria

New Delhi

Mon, 02 Feb 2009: 

The next World Water Forum (WWF) in Istanbul, Turkey will discuss various water related issues prevalent in the globe and Asian continent in particular. During the meet in March, 2009 the Japan Water Forum will coordinate for the cause of the Asia-Pacific region, which is facing critical water problems in the recentast.

The 5th edition of the water meet is also supposed to present some realistic solutions for resolving the ongoing regional water issues.

“In its long history, Japan has accumulated experience and technologies related to sharing and using limited water efficiently by overcoming severe meteorological and topographical conditions. Japan must use this experience and technologies to contribute to the solution of water issues in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Kotaro Takemura, the secretary general of Japan Water Forum.

He also added that Japan's advanced development and rich civilization has been made possible by importing great quantities of natural resources from Asia and exporting manufactured products to the region. The stakeholders in the water sector of Japan are making enormous efforts to improve water infrastructure as a basis for a post war reconstruction and the development of the economy.

India, the second largest population (after China) of the globe starts facing acute water crisis as it has gone for industrial revolution and rapid urbanization in the recent past. More that 20% of infectious diseases in India are reportedly related to the unsafe water. The diarrhoea related disease claims around thousand live every day, where hardly 15% population has access to modern sanitation. Even the practice of hand washing is low among the people, where one fourth of the total population lives on less than two dollars a day.

“India’s huge and growing population is putting a severe strain on all of the country’s natural resources. Most water sources are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff. India has made progress in the supply of safe water to its people, but gross disparity in coverage exists across the country,” stated in a portal run by Water Partners International.

In rapidly growing urban centres and grain-growing areas of the Asia-Pacific region, people have been suffering from serious water shortages and water pollution. Small island-states in the Pacific and countries in Central Asia are also critically short of water. On the other hand, in other places, rapidly surging floodwaters, tidal waves, and tsunami are claiming hundreds of lives, revealed in a statement issued by JFA from Tokyo.

Mentionable that the JWF has received a donation of 10 million yen from P & G Japan, as part of its sales during a campaign entitled-Let's Deliver Water, which was launched in August last year. The organization has already decided to utilize the money for several projects like construction of water facilities at schools for providing safe drinking Water, improvement of sustainable sanitation facilities and on training programmes on water and sanitation issues in developing countries, where the local NGOs will be engaged.