PHDCCI Hosts Interactive Session with Czech Republic Delegation on Water & Waste Management
Demokratic Front, Chandigarh – 11 March :
PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) successfully organized an Interactive Session with the Visiting Delegation from the Czech Republic, focusing on Water & Waste Management, at PHD House, Chandigarh. The session served as a strategic platform to explore business and investment opportunities, exchange knowledge, and foster collaborations between India and the Czech Republic in the fields of environmental sustainability, water conservation, and waste management.
Mr. Sanjiv Singh Sethi, MD, Gilard Electronics Pvt. Ltd., and the Session Moderator, emphasized the session’s objective of identifying new partnerships and sustainable solutions to tackle pressing environmental challenges. He highlighted that such interactions will pave the way for enhanced trade and investment opportunities between both nations.
In his welcome address, Mr. R S Sachdeva, Managing Committee Member, PHDCCI, acknowledged the long-standing economic and trade relations between India and the Czech Republic, which have significantly grown in recent years. He underscored that Punjab, as an agrarian state, faces severe challenges related to water scarcity, pollution, and waste management, making it imperative to adopt innovative and sustainable solutions. Major Guneet Chaudhary, Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, introduced the Czech delegation and encouraged active participation from stakeholders to address these critical challenges collectively.
The high-level delegation from the Czech Republic was led by Mr. David Surý, Director General for Environmental Protection, Ministry of Environment, Government of the Czech Republic. He reiterated the Czech Republic’s commitment to environmental sustainability and highlighted the country’s investor-friendly environment that fosters business growth and collaboration. H.E. Mrs. Eliška Žigová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India, emphasized that Indo-Czech relations have reached new heights, driven by free trade agreements, digital transformation initiatives, and green technology investments. She discussed trade and investment prospects in manufacturing, education, and sustainable development.
Representatives from the Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic, Mrs. Pavla Hosnedlová and Mrs. Martina Foytlová, presented detailed insights on the Czech Republic’s environmental initiatives and cross-cutting subsidy programs, including the Operational Programme Environment (OPE), National Environment Programme (NEP), and EEA & Norway Grants.
Dr. Manmohan Singh, Engineer-in-Chief (Retd.), Alpha Consultants, Advisors & Arbitrators, provided a global perspective on municipal waste management, citing that the world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of waste annually, projected to rise to 3.40 billion tonnes by 2050. He highlighted that India generates 1.5 lakh tonnes of solid waste per day, with 80% being dumped in the open and called for urgent intervention to improve waste management practices.
Czech industry leaders, including Mr. Michal Malat (CEO, Bonno/Filbec), Mr. David Lukac (Director, EKO-KOM), Mr. Robert Korinek (Director, T.G. Masaryk Water Research Institute), and Mr. Jai Kiran Sugunar (Managing Director, Elkoplast), shared their advanced technologies and best practices in waste management, water conservation, and environmental sustainability. Prof. (Dr.) Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, stressed the need to shift from a “use and throw” culture to a zero-waste society, where resources are reused and recycled at the source. He emphasized that investing in environmental sustainability is everyone’s responsibility.
Dr. Sandeep Garg, Managing Director, Eco Paryavaran Group, outlined the challenges in wastewater management, such as under-capacity sewage treatment plants (STPs), industrial effluent pollution, and poor treated water quality. He proposed sustainable solutions to overcome these challenges effectively. Mr. Abhinav Sharma, CEO, Dross Management Systems & Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd., introduced innovative waste management technologies, including the Dross Magic Machine, which converts waste into hygienic, eco-friendly by-products for fertilizers, solid fuel pellets, and other applications. Sh. Karan Gilhotra, Chair, Punjab State Chapter, PHDCCI underscored PHDCCIs commitment to fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange in addressing critical environmental challenges. He also stated that Punjab, with its growing industrial and agricultural sectors, requires innovative and sustainable solutions for water conservation and waste management.
Ms. Bharti Sood, Regional Director, PHDCCI, concluded the session by expressing gratitude to all delegates and participants. She reaffirmed PHDCCI’s commitment to fostering Indo-Czech collaborations in social, cultural, and economic sectors, promoting bilateral trade, joint ventures, and technology exchange.
