The Hindu Business Line : CII - North proposes aqua code for industry

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - Northern Region has urged the industry to adopt an ‘aqua code’ for better management, conservation and efficiency of usage water, which is a scarce resource.

To address these issues, the chamber will also be setting up a permanent building for the ‘CII water institute’ on a three-acre plot provided to it recently in Jaipur by the Rajasthan Chief Minister’s Office, said sources in the CII.

The institute has been running since last year from a rented premise.

The aqua code will urge companies to make themselves “water neutral” by adopting water harvesting mechanisms, besides insisting on the efficient usage of water in their establishments by minimising wastage, said Mr Harpal Singh, Chairman, CII – Northern Region while speaking to Business Line.

“For the time being we want to make it a voluntary option and hope to make it a norm over time,” he added.

“The objective is to substantively increase awareness amongst different stakeholders including industry, farmers, civil society and citizens. We also plan to do advocacy work on policy issues around water,” said Mr Singh.

The CII plans to develop this as an expert institution that will offer consultancy on water issues. The new institute, according to Mr Singh, is expected to be set up within two months. He added that although the CII will be putting in some seed funding in the start and would be looking upon corporates to partner in this venture. The CII, however, was unable to give the size of investment it was expecting to be made in the development of the institute.

“A key resource for setting up this institute would be with the competence provided by the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, Hyderabad,” said Mr Singh. The chamber, however, will also be seeking assistance from other expert bodies, both within the country and abroad. The CII has already set up a ‘core group on water’ for the northern region, headed by Mr Vipin Sondhi, Regional Council member, CII, and Managing Director, JCB India Ltd.

This would define the aqua code, besides provide consultancy and have awareness programmes and conferences on water issues.

The core group includes a variety of experts and NGOs, said Mr Singh.

According to sources in the CII, a soft start for this has already begun with three councillors in Jaipur who are already doing water audits and giving assistance for rain water harvesting systems.

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