Hyderabad, Nov.21 (NSS):The three-day 30th Indian Plumbing Conference, with the theme “Water, the new currency” kicked off in the city today at Hitex on Thursday.
“Water is the most valuable natural resources on the Earth, essential to every form of life. Yet it is a limited resource that we must protect. Unfortunately, water is often taken for granted, and its importance is not always recognised. The efforts of the plumbing industry in installing and maintaining water systems help conserve this priceless resource, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the benefits of clean, safe water, said Minister D. Sridhar Babu.
”I commend your continuous efforts to not only lay pipes and install fixtures but to be true guardians of public health and environmental sustainability. Through your work, you contribute to the creation of a healthier, connected world. As we move forward, I urge you all to continue promoting water conservation, making every drop count and educating communities about the vital importance of saving water for the future”, the Minister added. “We can build a future where water is valued, protected, and shared by all. Let us take collective responsibility for preserving this precious gift of nature”, he added.
Harkara Venugopal Rao, Advisor to Government of Telangana (Protocol and Public Relations), guest of honour inaugurated the conference along with Keynote Speaker Søren Nørrelund Kannik-Marquardsen Commercial Counsellor, Head of the Trade Council New Delhi & Regional Coordinator for South Asia, Embassy of Denmark in India
Hyderabad city, as of now has adequate water for drinking, agricultural, industrial, commercial and other uses. But to rest on such complacency will lead us to difficult times in future. To ensure that the city in particular and the state in general do not fall into a bad water situation, we are taking a holistic and three-sixty-degree approach. Protection of remaining natural water bodies, reclamation of lost lakes and ponds, pre-treatment of domestic, commercial and industrial sewage before discharge, and augmentation of groundwater through regulating bore wells are some of the measures taken to control misuse of water and its conservation, Rao added.
Hyderabad is one of my favourite cities in India, said Søren Nørrelund Kannik-Marquardsen delivering his keynote address. I have witnessed well-managed development and growth since my first visit in 2008. Denmark as a global water leader is working closely with IPA and CII Indian Green Building Council cooperating on sustainable infrastructure.
Highlighting the importance of Plumbing, Gurmit Singh Arora said the plumber and the Plumbing Industry both play a major role in protecting the health of our citizens. The Plumbing Engineer is known and regarded as a Public Health Engineer. 70% of the communicable diseases including Cholera, Typhoid, Dysentery Leptospirosis, Ambiosis, Diarrhea etc are all transmitted through bad-quality water.
“We never imagined that drinking water needs to be purchased. But the hard reality today is that a bottle of drinking water is the most sold commodity across the country. This conference aims to look into the future and visualise the scenario of water and the importance of plumbing”, said Sanjay Bhilare, Chapter Chairman of IPA Hyderabad Chapter.
A white paper on ‘Net Zero water in Built Environment’, produced jointly by IPA and JLL and A Guide to Good Plumbing Practices (AGGPP) in Telugu were launched on the occasion.
Subash Deshpande, a well-known Plumbing Consultant from Pune was bestowed with ahonour of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his professional excellence and contribution to the progress of the industry. Several other professionals were also honoured for their professional excellence as well as Navaratna Awards were given away to nine of the most illustrious members for their excellence and contribution to the growth of the industry. The conference hosts engaging technical sessions and panel discussions, including Water—The New Currency; Moving Towards Net Zero Water in the Built Environment; Water—Revitalizing the Heritage; High Challenges for High-Rise Buildings; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene and Water Scenario in the Hospitality Sector
The conference features distinguished speakers, including Avinash Mishra, Chairman, Water Audit Council & Former Adviser, NITI Aayog; Dr Rama Kant, Deputy Adviser (PHE), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; Prof. Srinivas Chary, CEO, WASH Innovation Hub and Centre Director, ASCI; Stanley Samuel, Founder, Eco Soft PTE, Singapore; Nitin Bassi, Senior Program Lead, CEEW; Rahul Sachdeva, Senior Program Manager, NIUA; Goutam Reddy, Vice Chairman, RE Sustainability Ltd; Charu Thapar, Executive Director-Property and Asset Management, Asia Pacific JLL; HC Vinayaka, Vice President, Technical EHS and Sustainability, ITC; Prem Thakur, VP Technical Services, IHCL (Taj Group); Valluri Srinivas, CEO, Synergy Infra Consultants.
An exhibition was also opened. It has 90-plus stall showcasing products and services. Chandra Shekhar Guptha, VP; Rahul Dhadphale, Secretary of IPA and Chapter chairs of many chapters, national executive council members participated in the inaugural function.
