Technology to boost green cause

Exhibitions incorporating machines are often beyond comprehension. But when one tries to understand the motive behind them, it gets easier to connect the dots. Messe Frankfurt’s environmental shows organised at Pragati Maidan recently were one such example with various machines occupying a maximum area. 

In a bid to provide sustainable solutions for India’s wastewater treatment, resource recycling, clean energy, waste and pollution management concerns, the environmental shows were categorised into four – Watertech India, Wastetech India, Cleantech India and Pollutech India, at Hall No 9 and 10 in Pragati Maidan.

The need for a comprehensive exhibition arose because it is not just the Indian community which is facing problems regarding availability of clean drinking water, waste management and high pollution in air, but the problem is a global one.

Reportedly, around 780 million people across the globe currently have no supply of drinking water, around 3.5 million tonnes of waste is produced every day and energy consumption is expected to increase by one-third by 2035. In addition, global air pollution, which is already leading to permanent smog in many big cities, needs to be reduced urgently since the world’s
population is growing at a fast pace.

This exhibition was thus an attempt to address these challenges and provide solutions to India’s environmental concerns and successfully evolved into an influential gathering of professionals, academia, knowledge leaders and policy makers.

The environment show was inaugurated in presence of Sanjiv Kumar, secretary, Environment and Forest, Government of NCT of Delhi, Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment, Regina Dube, director, Support to National Urban Sanitation Policy (SNUSP) India, Ashish Jain, chairman, Indian Pollution Control Association, and Stanley Gomes, consul and senior trade commissioner for Southern India, Consulate General of Canada.

During the three-day event, hundreds of people visited the show and expressed interest in knowing about technologies that can help the country in proper management of resources.
Over 3,000 square metre exhibition space, the fair hosted more than 50 exhibitors from India, Canada, China, Finland, Israel and Spain. They showcased innovative technologies and
solutions designed to suit the requirements of Indian industries.

Alongside these environment shows, a three-day ‘International Conference on Water, Waste Water, Sanitation, Solid Waste Management and Clean Energy’ was also organised. The aim was to bring forth the various concerns faced by various industries today and find pertinent solutions to them.

The third-day of the conference was dedicated to issues such as renewable energy and pollution control. There were also sessions where low carbon technologies were presented for energy security and technological advancements in energy sector. Other issues which were discussed in conference were water recycling, waste water (from municipal and industrial sources), sanitation solutions and solid waste management.

Additionally, the exhibition showcased cutting-edge technologies from Canada and China at dedicated country pavilions with leading companies presenting key innovations in converting waste to new product, reuse of waste material, desalination, water purification, infrastructure renewal and other sectors.

“Effective disposal of waste while ensuring minimal impact on the environment is a challenge for Indian industries,” said Raj Manek, executive director of Messe Frankfurt Asia Holding Ltd. “The environmental shows provide environmental professionals and sector’s players a platform to showcase green technologies and alternative resources while allowing the Indian market to access solutions designed to maximise productivity and minimise impact
on environment.”