India-Japan Relations | Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management

India-Japan Relations- Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 2: International Relations- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Recently, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan in the area of Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management.
Keeping in view the ongoing India-Japan cooperation, it has been decided to have an agreement with Japan to exchange experience and expertise in the decentralized treatment sector.

About: It was signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and The Ministry of the Environment of Japan in the areas of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management.
Implementation: A Management Council (MC) will be formed which will be responsible for the implementation of this MoC by formulating detailed activities of collaboration and the monitoring of its progress.
Mandate: It was signed for promoting cooperation for Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management in-
- Preserving the water environment in the public water areas and
- Improvement of public health, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit between the two countries.
Scope: The scope of cooperation is mostly focusing on Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management and the Effective reuse of treated wastewater.
Significance: MoC will encourage and facilitate cooperation-
- In areas of mutual interest in exchanging information and
- Expertise on Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management through Seminars, conferences and capacity building.

There shall be no financial obligations on both the Parties under this MoC.
To facilitate the activities under this MOC, case-specific details, may be created, covering detailed specifications in the respective areas as well as other pertinent matters such as the financial arrangement of such case-specific programmes and Projects.

The collaboration with Japan through the MoC shall prove to be very fruitful in areas such as-
- Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management and
- Effective reuse of treated wastewater using Johkasou technology.
The decentralized Johkasou systems can have greater implications for the management of grey/ black water from settlements with coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission as well as the sustainability of sources of fresh water under the mission
It will help Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to plan better for the complex issue of treating wastewater.

shivam