In order to curb the consumption of water, many people are looking at efficient use to help with the demand, but this is not a permanent solution, former Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Ramasamy Iyer said.
The demand for water is a derived one, which means that it is through industries like dairy and textiles, to name a few.
With increased development, there will be an increased demand, which will, n turn, lead to the depletion of water. What is more important, therefore, is the shrinking of the water footprint, he said speaking at the inauguration of the Indo-French Workshop on Water and Land Management organised by the French Institute, Pondicherry and the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University here on Tuesday.
Explaining the details of the Indo-French Water Network (IFWN) at the workshop, Ambassador of France in India H.E. Francois Richier said the idea of the project is to deal with the primary threat — depletion of water resources.
This workshop is the first effort of the IFWN, in March there will be a fresh call for projects that will be funded by the network.
The idea of the network is to get people from both countries together and assess the needs of the public in relation to the management of water and land for sustainability, he said.
The four-day workshop, which started on Tuesday, will feature nine plenary talks followed by discussions.
There will also be a one day field trip to understand the threats, opportunities, strengths and weakness in terms of management of water, a release said.