India and the UK have launched joint research projects on water quality and energy demand reduction, the government on Friday informed Lok Sabha.
Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma said in a written reply to a question that the research projects aim to deliver mutual benefits and research solutions to the two countries. He said the projects also aim to address shared global sustainable development goals in the areas of clean water and clean energy.
"The Ministry of Science and Technology have informed that India and UK have launched joint research projects on Water Quality Research and Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment in February, 2018," Sharma said.
"Eight projects to be supported under the Water Quality Research programme relate to optical sensor platform for water quality monitoring, fate and management of emerging contaminants, rainwater harvesting and its impacts, Vembanad lake rehabilitation, remediation of ground-water arsenic in Ganga river basin among others," he said.
They also include sensors and treatment technologies for freshwater systems, pathways and evolution of pollutants, and antimicrobial resistance and pollutants.
"Besides, four projects to be supported under the Energy Demand Reduction in the Built Environment programme relate to residential building energy demand reduction, zero peak energy building design, integrated urban model for built environment energy research and community-scale energy demand reduction in India," he said.
He pointed out that these projects will be supported by India's Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with UK's Natural Environment Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Social Research Council.
The Water Quality Research Programme would provide better understanding of the sources and fate of different pollutants, which would enable development of appropriate technologies and management strategies, he noted.
"These projects would also enable development of effective techniques to address water quality issues and securing the provision of clean water, rejuvenation of rivers and other water bodies, and should bring benefits to both people and the environment" he said.