India, Japan to join hands for revamp of Varanasi, other cities

India and Japan have come together to improve the living condition in Varanasi and other neighbouring cities along the Ganga through better sanitation system.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources, the River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, the Ministry of Urban Development, the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam and the Varanasi Nagar Nigam organized a seminar on enhancement of living environment in Varanasi through improved sanitation system.

The seminar included sessions on the Ganga conservation program with JICA, Japanese river purification technologies and waste management policies by Kyoto City.

The seminar was organized as part of a preparatory survey by JICA for further cooperation between India and Japan to improve the living environment in Varanasi and other neighbouring cities along the Ganga.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Japan last year had announced signing of a letter of intent between Varanasi and Kyoto for cooperation as partner cities.

Speaking on the occasion, Takema Sakamoto, Chief Representative, JICA India said: “The knowledge exchange at the seminar will contribute to more sustainable sewerage system, solid waste management and other urban development issues at Varanasi.

“Japan’s experiences such as in river purification and community based solid waste management will improve the living environment in Varanasi, and will contribute to achieving the objectives of Ganga Rejuvenation,” he said.

JICA has extended around Rs 580 crore for the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) project for improvement of water quality of the Ganga at Varanasi and improving the living environment for city residents, pilgrims and tourists.

Under the GAP project, construction of sewers, pumping stations and sewage treatment plants; and community toilets for underprivileged households are being planned in Varanasi.

Other projects supported by JICA include Yamuna Action Plan, abatement of pollution in Hussain Sagar Lake at Hyderabad through sewerage system development as well as sewerage system development at Amritsar, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Guwahati.

India, US, Japan to collaborate on maritime security

Reflecting the growing convergence of their interests in the Indo-Pacific region, India, US and Japan have agreed to work together to maintain maritime security through greater collaboration and strengthen regional connectivity.

The agreement was reached at the inaugural US-India-Japan Trilateral Ministerial dialogue held here on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 70th UN General Assembly session.

US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted the dialogue with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

Representing a quarter of the world's population and economic production power, the three countries highlighted their shared support for peace, democracy, prosperity, and a rules-based international order, according to a joint statement.

The three Ministers highlighted the growing convergence of their respective countries' interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

"It's an important moment for us to be able to underscore our interest in the Indo-Pacific region as part of India's East Asia policy, and also part of Japan's very active engagement with South and Southeast Asia," said Kerry.

"For India, the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean region is strategic to our security and economic interests," said Swaraj.

"The sea lanes of communication in the region are the lifetime - the lifeline of India's trade and commercial externalities." "To realize our mutual objectives, we intend to grow our exchanges into complete trilateral engagement in other areas, including regional connectivity and humanitarian assistance in disaster situation," she said.

"The Pacific and the Indian Oceans are beginning to link together as oceans of freedom and prosperity, driving the advent of a new era when Indo-Pacific region becomes the epicenter of global prosperity," said Kishida.

"The trilateral partnership of the US, India, and Japan has an extremely important role to play in pulling this new era forward," he said.

The joint statement said the three ministers also underscored the importance of international law and peaceful settlement of disputes; freedom of navigation and overflight; and unimpeded lawful commerce, including in the South China Sea, it said.

They reiterated their support for ASEAN centrality in the multilateral political and security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region and emphasized the importance of the East Asia Summit as the premier leaders- level forum for addressing key political and security issues of the region.