One man making a difference

STOCKHOLM – A Canadian who heads a water management group in Mexico City won the annual US$150 000 (about N$930 000) Stockholm Water Prize, organisers said yesterday.

Asit Biswas was cited for helping “foster a critical rethink” among UN agencies, governments and others about how to improve the delivery of water and sanitation services. Biswas, who was born in India but holds Canadian citizenship, heads the Mexico City-based Third World Centre for Water Management.”Professor Biswas is awarded the Stockholm Water Prize for his outstanding and multifaceted contributions to global water resource issues, including research, education and awareness, water management, human and international relations in both developed and developing countries,” The Stockholm International Water Institute said in its citation.Biswas, a tireless proponent on water issues who constantly challenged the “status quo”, has acted as an advisor and confidant to policymakers in water and environmental management in 17 countries.The citation noted that Biswas had fostered a new “socio-economic and political climate” that enabled the translation of scientific (natural and social) and technical advances into meaningful measures for people and planet.He also helped to formulate and promote the International Water Supply and Sanitation Decade in the 1980s, which helped significantly improve the lives of millions of people in the developing world.The Water Prize is awarded annually to individuals and institutions for making a substantial contribution to the preservation, enhancement or availability of the world’s water resources.- Nampa-AP-PTIBiswas, who was born in India but holds Canadian citizenship, heads the Mexico City-based Third World Centre for Water Management.”Professor Biswas is awarded the Stockholm Water Prize for his outstanding and multifaceted contributions to global water resource issues, including research, education and awareness, water management, human and international relations in both developed and developing countries,” The Stockholm International Water Institute said in its citation.Biswas, a tireless proponent on water issues who constantly challenged the “status quo”, has acted as an advisor and confidant to policymakers in water and environmental management in 17 countries.The citation noted that Biswas had fostered a new “socio-economic and political climate” that enabled the translation of scientific (natural and social) and technical advances into meaningful measures for people and planet.He also helped to formulate and promote the International Water Supply and Sanitation Decade in the 1980s, which helped significantly improve the lives of millions of people in the developing world.The Water Prize is awarded annually to individuals and institutions for making a substantial contribution to the preservation, enhancement or availability of the world’s water resources.- Nampa-AP-PTI