GUWAHATI: IIT-Guwahati, along with University of Western Sydney and 21 partners from India and Australia, launched the Australia-India Water Centre.
The water centre will be led by University of Western Sydney from Australia and IIT Guwahati from India, focussing on collaboration in transdisciplinary research, capacity building and knowledge and technology transfer, particularly on aspects of water and food security. “Water is likely to play a key economic and strategic role in the future. The centre will focus on collaboration in transdisciplinary research, capacity building and knowledge and technology transfer, particularly on aspects of water and food security, safe drinking water supplies, river health, water-energy-food nexus, water for liveable cities and other related facets of mutual benefits to Australia and India,” IIT-Guwahati director prof TG Sitharam said on Monday.
According to experts, India and Australia share water issues and challenges, including natural extremes of floods and droughts, increasing competition for water between urban, peri-urban and rural sectors and increased threats to water security from climate change.
“There are also pressures due to the over-exploitation and water quality degradation of surface and groundwater resources,” read a statement issued by IIT-Guwahati.
Australia-India Water Centre was inaugurated virtually through a webinar on November 6. Dan Tehan, minister for education, government of Australia, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jal Shakti minister, government of India, BC Patil, minister of agriculture, government of Karnataka, A Gitesh Sarma, Indian high commissioner to Australia, Barry O’Farrell AO, Australian high commissioner to India, prof TG Sitharam, director of IIT Guwahati, and other directors, vice-chancellors, deans of all partner institutions and many other dignitaries were virtually present on this occasion.
The recent joint declaration at the virtual summit of the prime ministers of Australia and India, in June stated that “Water security is a critical challenge for both countries, and it was jointly decided to deepen policy and technical cooperation on mutually agreed activities to improve water management and sustainable economic development.” With this in view, a number of universities, research organisations and business partners from Australia and India have committed to establish the Australia India Water Centre (AIWC).