Cabinet approves agreement with Japan on wastewater management

New Delhi [India]: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday (April 13) gave its approval to a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) that was signed between India and Japan in March on Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management.

The MoC was signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan on March 19 during the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the occasion of the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit.

The MoC seeks to promote cooperation for Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management in preserving the water environment in the public water areas and improving public health, based on equality and mutual benefit between the two countries.

After this approval, a Management Council (MC) will be formed, which will be responsible for implementing this MoC by formulating detailed activities of collaboration and monitoring its progress.

The scope of cooperation is mostly focused on Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management and the Effective reuse of treated wastewater, a press release said.

Forms of cooperation under this MoC will encourage and facilitate cooperation which may include but is not limited to areas of mutual interest in exchanging information and expertise on Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management through Seminars, conferences, and capacity building, the release further said.

The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation has been envisaging bilateral cooperation with other countries in water resources development and management through sharing of policy and technical expertise, conducting of training courses, workshops, scientific and technical symposia, exchange of experts and study tours.

Keeping in view the ongoing India-Japan cooperation, it has been decided to have an agreement with Japan to exchange experience and expertise in the decentralized treatment sector, the press release said.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida came on a two-day visit to India on March 19-20 for a summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi which saw the signing of several agreements on bilateral cooperation between the two countries. (ANI)