"Water stewardship is a shared commitment towards securing our future," said Hina Nagarajan, Conference Chairperson and Managing Director & CEO, Diageo India, setting the tone for the two-day event attended by over 150 delegates.
Thakur Brahmanand Singh, Member Secretary, Central Ground Water Authority, highlighted the potential of harvested rainwater and greywater to be "gamechanger" in tackling the water crisis amid depleting groundwater resources. He urged the industry to improve specific water consumption through regular audits to determine water use efficiency.
Inoshi Sharma, Executive Director, FSSAI, echoed similar views, stating, "Focus on harvesting rainwater could help recharge our water bodies and make use of a resource that is otherwise wasted." Sharma also emphasized the importance of adhering to labeling requirements for packaged drinking water and announced FSSAI's intent to merge the BIS mark requirement within its regulations to simplify processes.
Ajay Popat, Chairman – Core group on New & Cutting-Edge technologies, CII National Committee on Water, stressed strategies like water audits, technology integration, wastewater treatment and reuse, sustainable sourcing, collaborative initiatives, and water risk assessment for effective water stewardship.
Dr Kapil Kumar Narula, CEO & Executive Director, CII Triveni Water Institute, urged industries to be conscious of the watershed in which their plants are located and undertake measures to ensure operational sustainability, citing NITI Aayog's water neutrality guidelines.
The conference witnessed participation from government bodies, food processing companies, technology providers, researchers, and industry associations, underscoring the collaborative approach needed to promote sustainable water usage across the food and beverage value chain.
