300m people in Asia-Pacific have no improved access to water : ADB
Manila, Oct 2 : At least 300 million people in the Asia-Pacific region have no improved access to water, the Asia Development Bank (ADB) said on Tuesday.
"About 300 million people in the Asia and Pacific region do not have improved access to water and 1.7 billion lack access to basic sanitation," ADB President Takehiko Nakao said at the Asia Water 2018 forum in Manila.
According to ADB estimates, water demand in the Asia and Pacific region was poised to grow by more than half by 2050, leaving up to 3.4 billion people facing water insecurity, Xinhua news agency reported.
Moreover, the ADB said disaster-related losses in Asia totalled $87 billion in 2016, of which about 25 per cent was connected to flooding. And over the past 20 years, Asia has incurred half of the estimated global economic cost of water-related disasters.
"Innovations and new technologies provide the means to help ADB developing member countries advance their water management including river basin management, flood control and water pollution and service delivery such as water supply, sanitation, and irrigation," said the ADB President.
More than 800 gathered on Tuesday at the ADB headquarters in Manila for the opening of the Asia Water Forum 2018, focusing on "information, innovation and technology".
Participants included government officials, water and development professionals and representatives from the private sector, academia, civil society and the media.
The ADB said this year's forum featured over four days of a series of panels, leadership discussions, technical sessions and workshops.
Since its founding in 1966, the Manila-based bank said it has spent a total of $45.88 billion on water projects.
ADB's active water sector operations amount to nearly $14 billion and this is growing -- another $14 billion in water sector investments was planned for future, it said.
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
