India, Germany decide to cooperate on water, waste management

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) India and Germany on Wednesday agreed that after their robust bilateral economic cooperation, they will focus on the environment and cooperate on water and waste management.

"Just like Indo-German Climate and Renewables Alliance, cooperation in field of environment needs to be strengthened," Anil Kumar Jain, Additional Secretary in the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry said after the third Indo-German working group meeting ended here.

Jain, who was heading the Indian delegation said: "The outcomes will be taken up to higher level of collaboration during the Third Indo-German Environment Forum which is scheduled in New Delhi on February 13 where both the German and Indian Environment Ministers will meet to come up with some major announcements."

At the working group meeting, delegations from the India's Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, and the Germany's Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety discussed potential cooperation areas in the field of water and waste management.

Regina Dube, Director-General for Water Management and Resource Conservation, who headed the German delegation, said that the Indian side have been very supportive in taking the work ahead.

Both sides decided to work further on developing reference documents for textile sector, air and water governance, marine litter, waste to energy (incineration), bio-methanation, landfill sites, water quality management, training and capacity building of local bodies and circular economy.