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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NDA's win in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation watershed moment in Kerala politics: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the mandate received by the BJP-led NDA in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation a "watershed moment" in Kerala's politics and expressed gratitude to the BJP workers for the "spectacular results".
The Left parties suffered a major setback in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, held by them for 45 years, as the BJP-led NDA surged ahead with a huge lead.
Reacting to the civic body results, the prime minister said it is a day to recall the work and struggles of generations of karyakartas (workers) in Kerala, who worked at the grassroots, which ensured today's result became a reality.
"Thank you Thiruvananthapuram! The mandate the BJP-NDA got in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is a watershed moment in Kerala's politics," he wrote on 'X'.
PM Modi said the people are certain that the development aspirations of Kerala can only be addressed by the BJP. "Our Party will work towards this vibrant city's growth and boost 'Ease of Living' for the people," he said with the hashtag #VikasitaThiruvananthapuram.
The prime minister said the BJP karyakartas are the strength of the party, and everyone is proud of them.
"My gratitude to all hardworking BJP karyakartas who have worked among the people, which has ensured a spectacular result in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation," he said.
