Companies take up the water challenge

Jal yatra, Jal Bima abhiyan, Jal sanchay abhiyan... rallies organised by activists? Wrong! These are names of awareness campaigns which Coca Cola claims to organise.

The companies which are accused of being the worst abusers of water resources are today beating the current of criticism against them through some aggressive corporate social responsibility projects on water conservation.

Concerns over water scarcity and climate change have been echoing through the industry for a major part of this year, which has earned India a portion of the glory of Nobel peace prize with the Intercontinental Panel on Climate Change headed by R K Pachauri winning the prize.

The most vocal platform for the industry in the recent past to voice its concern on water scarcity and climate change was the India Incredible at 60 celebrations in New York in September. And now it has also formed a permanent platform to voice issues of water with the Confederation of Indian Industries dedicating a forum exclusively to these issues.

"CII is increasingly concerned with the deteriorating water situation in India and has taken up a proactive role by setting up a special cell as part of Social Development Programme with the objective of developing benchmark initiatives in partnership with corporate members to find solutions and pathways for typical water sector issues in India," it has said.

At New York, one of the highlights of the Incredible at 60 celebrations of the Industry was a conference on India's growing water crisis: challenges and options, organised by CII with the Earth Institute at Columbia University at New York. Though it seems like a contradiction, the stage was shared by Dr jeffrey Sachs, director of the Institute, who has been perpetually speaking for sustainable development with Gregory Koch, managing director, global water stewardship of the Coca Cola company.

Another key participant was Abhiram Seth, executive director, exports and external affairs, Pepsico. and while the paper industry was absent, the oil industry represented by Sanjay Kirloskar, chairman and managing director, Kirloskar Brothers limited spoke on the merits of linking rivers as a means of making rivers last.

Literally grabbing the stage from environment activists, the corporate leaders and corporate forums have been reeling out figures like how India's per capital water availability has slid from 5000 cubic meters per annum in 1950 to less than 2000 cubic meters presently.

A newsletter brought out by CII on corporate social responsibility says: "The United Nations estimates that two-thirds of the world's population will not have enough water by 2025 if current trends are not reversed.''

CII has, in fact, dedicated its latest e-newsletter on CSR to water conservation, providing a forum for industry to think aloud on water issues, and talk about what they are doing.

Beverage companies, paper industry and oil companies have already been spreading word about the good they are doing on the water front.

Says Atul Singh, President & CEO, Coca-Cola India, writing in CII's newsletter: "We, at Coca-Cola, are committed to refresh the lives of communities on an every day, all day basis. As part of the same strategy, sustainable water management remains our top priority. We will continue to find innovative solutions in all areas of water management through our integrated 4R strategy "" Reduce, Recycle, Reuse and Recharge. Starting from 1999, over the last eight years, we have taken the lead in improving water-use efficiency by nearly 34 per cent in our operations across India."