The Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Labour & Employment, Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the Ganga Connect exhibition at the City of Glasgow College amid the COP26, on November 8. The exhibition was showcased by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), c-Ganga, and the High Commission of India.
The exhibition is an effort to present the level of development in the Ganga river basin to the global community of environmental stakeholders who have gathered in Glasgow for the United Nations (UN) Conference of the Parties (COP-26) meeting.
In a blog, the Minister said that Ganga Connect is a global exhibition that will bring to light multiple facets of the Ganga river basin and connect with interested parties. This project is significant from the perspective of preserving and protecting Ganga and its ecosystem. Also, to spread a word of awareness among the masses about the river basin.
“The exhibition offers a clear and deep understanding of the size, magnitude and complexity of the Ganga riverine ecosystem and puts a spotlight on the solutions. It is a medium to share status updates and execution timelines and illustrate the deep spiritual and philosophical connection that Indians have with the river. Also, the exhibition enables engagement with interested parties and the diaspora who want to get involved in the rejuvenation, restoration and conservation of the river system,” the Minister added.
The exhibition saw numerous visitors including Scottish business groups, international visitors who are participating in the COP26 meet and other members of the Indian diaspora. The exhibition will continue in Glasgow till November 10. It highlights river Ganga as a major lab for global technology and the scientific community to develop cutting edge environmental solutions. The move can prove to be a great way to lure innovators from across the globe and learn from international best practices.
Before the inaugural, an expert panel comprising Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General, NMCG; Professor Paul Little, Principal of the College; Roddy Gow, Chairman, The Asia Scotland Institute; Sanmit Ahuja, Expert Member, C-Ganga; Professor Bob Ferrier (Director, James Hutton Institute (CREWS)); Dr Isabella Guerrini de Claire, COO, Aurora Sustainability Group; Allan Reid, Director, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Jai Mallick, Associate, Foresight Group; Dr Mark Fletcher, Global Water Leader, Arup; Dr Gen Cannibal, Technical Director, Holistic Energy; Dr Michael Groves, Founder and CEO, Topolytics; Michael Alexander, Global Head of Water, Environment, Agriculture Sustainability, Diageo; Kevin Houston, Co-founder and Owner, Carbon Masters; Professor Martin Tangey, Founder and President, Celtic Renewables; participated in a strategic discussion on how Scotland and India can collaborate to address water and climate change-related issues.
Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General, NMCG, addressed the gathering on the approach and actions undertaken by Namami Gange for holistic rejuvenation of the Ganga River Basin. He mentioned that how the Government of India is open to global collaborations to solve the complex issues within the Ganga system. The Expert Roundtable organised as a cross-learning session amongst the experts pertained to the need for developing leadership oriented towards sustainability, co-constructing an enabling environment for optimising stakeholder engagement, need to learn from both evidence-based sustainable practices and international best practices, etc.
The Ganga Connect has commenced in Glasgow and will run through various cities in the UK including Cardiff, Birmingham, Oxford and will finally end in London, later this month.
(With inputs from PIB)