The Himachal Pradesh government said today that the unprecedented water scarcity state capital Shimla faced this May-June would not be allowed to recur as several steps had been taken to ensure adequate supply.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh gave this assurance to the state Assembly while replying to a discussion initiated by opposition MLAs Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh.
"No shortage of water will be allowed to remain in Shimla.
The world bank funded water scheme will be implemented in a time-bound manner.
Had Virbhadra Singh-led previous Congress government taken adequate steps, the state capital would have not witnessed such shortage," the minister said.
Earlier Congress MLAs Asha Kumari, Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh flayed Mayor Kusum Sadret for visiting China leaving Shimla in the midst of the water crisis.
Kumari said water scarcity still existed in Shimla.
It is evident from news items published in local media stating that the Mayor was holding meetings to overcome the shortage, she said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Cape Town’s water crisis, which saw the drought-hit city come within 90 days of turning off the taps earlier this year, highlights the threats to South African companies from a repeat event and should serve as a warning to vulnerable cities worldwide, analysts from UBS Group AG wrote in a report.
New Delhi and Hyderabad in India, Beijing, among other Chinese cities, Jakarta, Singapore and Sydney in the Asia-Pacific region, Brussels and Rome in Europe, along with San Francisco and the Manhattan area in the US are some of those with relatively high water risks, the UBS analysts said, citing information from the World Resources Institute.
With the city in the grips of a record drought, Cape Town authorities in January told residents that their supplies could be cut in April as dam levels dwindled dangerously below 30%.
That risk has receded after a recovery in rainfall and severe restrictions on water use, with the so-called “Day Zero” pushed out to at least 2019.
Dam levels have risen to 62%, city authorities said Monday.
Indirectly, a crisis could weaken economic growth and deal a blow to banks’ earnings outlook.
Banks could face higher credit-loss charges, while damage to property may trigger lower house prices and damage collateral, while adding to pressure on consumers.
Insurers would also face increased property damage claims, affecting short-term profitability for the likes of Santam, Rand Merchant Investment’s Outsurance and Old Mutual Insure.
Any temporary increase in mortality rates caused by health care disruptions could drive up claims for life assurers, with Sanlam and Old Mutual more exposed in this region, along with higher costs at their head offices in the city Retail/consumer Food retailers would experience increased food inflation as the drought hits production in nearby farming areas Pick n Pay Stores, Shoprite, Spar Group and Woolworths would attract consumers buying water, but overall sales volume would decline in line with GDP growth Among clothing retailers, Woolworths has the greatest Western Cape footprint and would be most at risk of sales declines, followed by The Foschini Group.
Hospitals Mediclinic is most exposed to the Western Cape with 18 hospitals, followed by Netcare with 12 and Life Healthcare with eight; the companies have invested in alternative measures of ensuring water supply, UBS said

But today, its overexploitation and pollution present challenges for the environment, economies and global living standards.
These issues are addressed by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the annual World Water Week, which runs from 26–31 August 2018 in Stockholm.
Organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the week-long forum promotes collaborative action to help solve the looming water crisis.
As a participant at the conference, the European Space Agency (ESA) is co-convening a session on the use of Big Data and Earth observation for the monitoring of SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation).
"World Water Week is the ideal occasion to share information about an increasingly scarce resource while we continue working with our satellite data users to develop sustainable water-use practices through innovative projects," says Benjamin Koetz, a scientist who develops new applications for ESA’s Earth Observation Programme directorate.
Responding to the pressing need for water information in African countries, ESA’s TIGER and Earth Observation for Sustainable Development (EO4SD) initiatives are supporting national and cross-border water authorities in using satellite data to manage water supplies.
GlobWetland is another example of ESA’s contribution to the SDGs.
This project includes the development of a Global Wetlands Observing System and the use of satellite-based information to measure the ecological state of wetlands in Africa.
These are just a few of the ESA projects that are helping to conserve water and fulfil the related SDGs.
By assisting water authorities, UN agencies, development banks and scientists to identify potential trouble spots, ESA helps to mitigate the effects of climate change while striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

China: A Nation Prone to Fresh Water Crisis Currently, due to increasing urbanization, the municipal water demand in cities of China are projected to grow 70% in 2030 (Wang et al., 2017).
Shanghai falls amongst China’s 36 worst cities regarding water quality (Zhen et al., 2017), and between 2010-2012 it was reported by the cities water census that 3% of local surface water was clean for fish farms or household use.
Shanghai exemplifies the battle China is fighting from one mega city to the next, and can be utilized as a case study for the proposed socio-political strategy surrounding water sustainability.
Lotus intends to provide a unique dialogue surrounding water sustainability, approaching urban fresh-water as a communal urban focus.
The strategy looks to increase governmental transparency, monumentally showcasing the cities effort to maintain fresh-water supply.
The technology for renewable fresh water is already available.
dynamic fins that wrap around the water tower increase in the degree of opening based on the improvement of water quality in the city.
In this way Lotus cultivates an iterative dialogue between the urban community and it’s interaction with water.
Experiential Emphasis of Water As the fresh-water sustainability in the city strengthens, the building opens up to the public.
Lotus uses water to create an oasis of respite that curates a series of experiences for the city population, incentivizing a continual effort to maintain strong urban fresh-water security.

Tune in to Focus Carolina during morning, noon and evening drive times and on the weekends to hear stories from faculty members at UNC and find out what ignites their passion for their work.
Focus Carolina is an exclusive program on 97.9 The Hill WCHL, sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. William Vizuete is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering in the Gillings School of Global Public Health.
His research focuses on atmospheric chemistry and the formation of air pollution.
One of the main pollutants that has been associated with casualties is particle pollution.
For example, you have the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, sometimes called the Smoky Mountains.
That pretty white haze is particulate matter.
When we’re exposed to that at different levels, it’s been associated with diseases such as heart disease and cancer.” Dr. Vizuete’s team also researches aerosols, which can cause a severe public health risk.
We have to have an understanding of where these particles come from and how these particles are made in the atmosphere.” Part 1 Although UNC does not offer an engineering major, there are ample opportunities for students to study engineering and related fields.
It goes back to the sanitary engineers before engineering left for NC State.

Water Treatment Equipment in Power Market report highlights the significant potential growth along with the business developers, manufactures, production, consumption, revenue, Product Overview and Scope of Water Treatment Equipment in Power market.
Water treatment is the process used to produce water suitable for daily use by eliminating pollutants and contaminants.
Water management in the power sector is a high priority, as it helps the sector meet stringent environmental regulations and allows the processed water to be reclaimed and reused.
Water security is one of the fastest growing concerns across the globe as the demand for water is continuously increasing across all sectors, whereas the number of water reserves has remained the same.
In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Water Treatment Equipment in Power.
Water Treatment Equipment in Power market competition by top manufacturers/players with volume, revenue (Million USD), Profiles and Sales Data, Manufacturing Base and market share for each manufacturer/player: Degremont Industry Evoqua Water Technologies Ovivo Pall Veolia
Nomura Micro Science The Dow Chemical Request for Water Treatment Equipment in Power Market Sample Report @ https://www.360Marketupdates.com/enquiry/request-sample/12708624 Geographically, Water Treatment Equipment in Power Market report globally split into major key Regions, with revenue, market share and growth rate from 2013 to 2024 (forecast) covering: United States, Europe, China, Japan, North America, India.
By Product types, Water Treatment Equipment in Power Market report revenue and growth rate of each Type, primarily split into: Wastewater Treatment, Water Purification, The major objectives of this report are as follows: Define, analyse and forecast Water Treatment Equipment in Power market by Product type, applications, key players and region.
Analyse opportunities in the market for various stakeholders by identifying the high-growth segments of Water Treatment Equipment in Power market.
By End Users Application, Water Treatment Equipment in Power Market report focuses on the outlook for major application areas, sales volume and growth rate for each Application, including: Municipal, Industrial, , For more help, contact our industry expert @ https://www.360marketupdates.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/12708624 Table of Contents – A Section-wise Analysis of Water Treatment Equipment in Power market report Global Water Treatment Equipment in Power Sales (Consumption) by Regions (2011-2016) Global Production and Growth Rate by Types, Global Market Analysis by Applications Global Water Treatment Equipment in Power Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis Manufacturing Cost Analysis, Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders Market Effect Factors Analysis Global Water Treatment Equipment in Power Market Forecast (2016-2021F) Methodology and Data Source Overall, the report covers the profiles of Water Treatment Equipment in Power market players with key economic, strength & weakness analyses, and recent activities, providing a comprehensive outlook of Water Treatment Equipment in Power market.

The food industry needs a better approach to improve global water and food security, and to support sustainable agriculture and development.
It’s also important that corporate water targets align with global policy goals, such as the U.N.
This is where Context-Based Water Targets (CBWTs) come in to play.
While tools and methodologies for setting CBWTs and measuring companies’ water footprints are under development, this work is still in its infancy compared to what’s available to help companies measure their carbon footprint.
We started out in water management for our direct operations, first with a total global water reduction target and then with a target focused on our sites in stressed watersheds.
An example of this is our work on rice.
Environment, the International Rice Research Institute and WWF, we’re supporting 500 basmati rice farmers in Pakistan to improve productivity and reduce water use.
However, we decided that it was better to set an imperfect target and start work making improvements now, rather than wait for better data to support better targets.
Many leading food and beverage companies including Nestlé, Danone, Coca-Cola and Mars — together with leading water-focused NGOs — are supporting the Water Benefits Accounting Methodology Project to standardize how the benefits of water stewardship projects are measured.
Membership in the Alliance for Water Stewardship and disclosure of water impacts via CDP are good starting points to build transparency and expertise on water and to begin to collaborate with others to address shared water challenges.

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) will hold a roundtable discussion on "Water Scarcity in Pakistan" here on Wednesday (August 29).
KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 27th Aug, 2018 ) :Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) will hold a roundtable discussion on "Water Scarcity in Pakistan" here on Wednesday (August 29).
The programme will start at 2:30p.m.
at the Federation House, said a FPCCI statement.
The participants will discuss the intensity of the issue and propose possible solutions.
Finally, recommendations will be formed for sending the same to the government authorities concerned.
Prominent personalities and representatives of the organizations concerned like Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Karachi, National Disaster Management Authority, Mountain and Glacier Protection Organization, Pakistan Institute for Environment-Development Action Research, Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research have been invited to get maximum input on this serious national issue.
WAPDA’s Chairman, Lt.-Gen (Retd) Muzammil Hussain will deliver a keynote address.
The topics to be discussed include water scarcity and industries, water scarcity and business, water scarcity in Pakistan, overview of water scarcity, water flow and floods, water from glaciers, global warming and changing dynamics of weather, water desalination techniques, and waste water treatment.

Representing Pakistan was the ruling Muslim League N’s favourite anti opposition vitriol machine and Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Mushahidullah Khan.
A lawyer by training, Senator Khan had seemingly no credentials to merit his appointment as the Minister of Climate Change.
This comes at a time when Pakistan ranks seventh on the list of countries most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change.
The significance of the climate change portfolio can be accessed from the earlier sacking of Senator Mushahidullah.
Such was the importance accorded to the ministry by the then ruling Muslim League, that it was sacrificed to appease Rawalpindi.
DW calls water scarcity a bigger threat to Pakistan than terrorism with experts at the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources predicting that the country is expected to dry up by 2025.
One of the most water intensive countries in the world, there is an increasing trend of blaming neighbouring India for her water woes, with terms such as “water terrorism” hot on the nation’s airwaves.
It also passed the Environmental Protection Act of 2014 and has a robust environmental policy in its manifesto.
Regardless, Aslam stuck with his party and was awarded with a cabinet position.
His interests include cricket, South Asian politics and political Islam Published in Daily Times, August 28th 2018.

A new study estimates that hundreds of millions of people could be at risk of nutritional deficiencies because of rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, raising serious questions about the future of the developing world’s health.
On top of this, 1.4 billion women of childbearing age and children under five could lose 4 percent of their dietary iron intake, putting them at risk of conditions like anemia.
Evidence has previously shown that the concentrations of protein, iron, and zinc are 3 to 17 percent lower when crops are grown in environments where CO2 levels are 550 parts per million (ppm) compared with crops grown under current atmospheric conditions, in which CO2 levels are just above 400 ppm.
Read more: Climate change and farming: ‘Unpredictability is here to stay’ "This [finding] matters most if you’re close to a threshold of nutrient deficiency and you’re relying on these food crops for a significant share of that particular nutrient in your diet," Myers said.
Staple crops like rice and wheat are the primary food source for more than 3 billion people around the world.
The country expected to bear the biggest burden is India, which the researchers estimated would have an additional 50 million people deficient in zinc, 38 million protein deficient and 502 million women and children vulnerable to diseases associated with iron deficiency by midcentury.
While the science behind plant physiology is "complex," according to Myers, it is thought that higher concentrations of carbon dioxide can cause staple crops like wheat and rice to produce more carbohydrates, like starches and glucose, at the expense of nutrients, like protein, zinc and iron.
What we do know is that at higher CO2 food crops become less nutritious," Myers said.
Global malnutrition to ‘intensify’ Currently, there are already 2 billion people living with nutrient deficiencies worldwide.
According to Ebi, these changes have the "potential to affect everyone."