This comes at a time when Bengaluru is also staring at a water crisis and measures are being done to ensure the 2024 water crises does not repeat this year.
A delegation from Cape Town in South Africa was in Bengaluru for the last two days to share their best practices on water and energy conservation and gain insights on IT development from the Indian city. Representatives from the two cities discussed potential tourism opportunities as well.
Cape Town in South Africa had recently made global headlines because of its severe water crisis.
Now the city is in news again. But this time as a case study on water management, said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Tourism, Cape Town.
Speaking to TNIE during his two day visit to the city on Tuesday, he said, “We are an example for all global cities to learn on how to manage water. We are the only city to have reduced water consumption by half to mitigate the crisis.”
He added, “A dashboard was created for live streaming the water situation and a benchmark was set. If the water levels dropped below 19%, then supply will be stopped. A simple method of the government maintaining transparency and involving citizens helped mitigate the crisis.”
This comes at a time when Bengaluru is also staring at a water crisis and measures are being done to ensure the 2024 water crises does not repeat this year. This financial year, a large budget allocation was done for water management.
The government is also working extensively to replace old pipes and ensure zero leakage, new water extraction technologies through aquifers is being worked upon, waste water treatment plants are being set up and rain water harvesting is mandated.
Potential collaborations in IT, Tourism
Karnataka IT-BT and RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday said India and South Africa have a strong history and many commonalities. The relationship between the two countries can be further strengthened with a partnership on sharing best practices and knowledge.
After holding an interaction with a team of delegates led by Alderman James Vos in Bengaluru, Kharge said he proposes to start a partnership between Bengaluru and Cape Town under the larger Global Innovation Programmes and look into the multiple ways in which the two cities could benefit.
He said he was looking forward for exploring how these two cities can share best practices and innovation technologies.
The team from Cape Town along with officials and business partners, CapeBPO and Cape Town Tourism, discussed collaboration in technology, BPO and tourism.
Vos said the objective is to forge strong partnerships to create job opportunities.
As Cape Town is a growing city, the best innovative solutions can be adopted to channelise the city’s economic growth. India’s dynamic BPO and tech industries complement Cape Town’s strengths and this will improve investment opportunities and enhance trade and tourism, he added.
The meeting with GCCs and IT-BT sector was organised by MoveInSync, a Bengaluru-based employee commute platform, also working in Cape Town; and Moar Advisor, a strategic enabler.
source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)