Mumbai: Israel’s Consul General in Mumbai, Yaakov Finkelstein and Gauranga Das launched an Indo-Israeli water institute at Govardhan Eco Village, Wada, Maharashtra. The institute, which will be a living laboratory aims to provide technology assistance, knowledge transfer and establishing an entrepreneurship ecosystem in the field of Water. The Consul General of Israel shall be on the advisory board of the Institute. This initiative has started a new chapter between both countries in the strategic field of water management.
In recent decades, Israel has emerged as a global leader in water management, recycling, wind power, waste management and many other areas in the field of environment sustainability. Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) established itself as an award-winning eco-community, creating a unique circular economy model that has been successfully implemented on a micro as well as macro scale. Besides winning the prestigious UNWTO award, The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations has granted special consultative status to Govardhan Ecovillage (GEV).
The Water Technology Institute will help develop micro and macro-level solutions in sustainable water management focused around rural and semi-rural Indian topographies. The institute, which will be based out of Govardhan Eco Village in Wada, Maharashtra will also train aspiring entrepreneurs to shape sustainable ideas into impactful solutions. The Govardhan Eco Village will act as a “living lab” for new and emerging technologies both from Israel and India.
Consul General Yaakov in his remarks highlighted how Israel, with a third of its landmass covered by desert, scanty rainfall, absence of major rivers and rapidly growing population, has become a world leader in water management and technologies. It recycles almost 90% of its sewage water and extracts one third of its potable water through desalination. Water is at the forefront of India-Israel cooperation and particularly in Israel’s cooperation with Maharashtra. He said that the new water technology institute will enhance this cooperation further.
Gauranga Das, Director of Govardhan Ecovillage said, “We need to bridge best of east with the best of west hence creating equilibrium in society.”
Speaking at the event Yachneet Pushkarna, CEO for Social Initiatives at the Govardhan Eco Village said,” It is critical to first educate and make aware our current and next generations of the importance of understanding the value of water, which Israel has been doing since 1948.”
Romiel Samuel, Director of Indus Water Institute explained how “India does not have a water problem, but a water management problem”.
Also present at the event were members of Israeli consulate, His Excellency Consul General Devoto of Argentina and Deputy Consul General Cecilia Risolo of Argentina and Managing Director BSE Zone Start up’s Hemant Gupta and other dignitaries.
