Ensuring access to safe drinking water in Amravati District
Mr. Issam Bachaalani, Managing Director at Colgate Palmolive (India)Limited and Mr. Abhijit Bangar-IAS, District Collector Amravati lighting the lamp at launch of Water Program in Amravati District |
Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, the market leader in Oral Care, in partnership with the non-profit organization, Water For People India Trust, today launched its Amravati Water initiative in the Amravati District of Maharashtra. This program is an expansion of Colgate’s partnership with Water For People, after their successful collaboration in Bihar and West Bengal, since 2013. This program will support availability and accessibility of water, awareness towards hygiene and sanitation (WASH program), and other initiatives, such as water conservation and rainwater harvesting.
Amravati District in Maharashtra faces extreme water scarcity and challenges in accessing potable water for daily living. The Amravati Water Program will begin by focusing on talukas, such as Nandgaon Khandeshwar, Chikaldhara, and Dharni, where water-related issues are acute. The program will cover 5 gram panchayats (15 villages) in the first year, with a projected cumulative coverage of 10-12 gram panchayats (36 villages) over a period of three years.
The emphasis will be on ensuring access to safe drinking water and testing innovative, low-cost technologies towards the provision of safe drinking water. The program will engage local communities for construction/rehabilitation of water facilities, operations, and maintenance of community water schemes, and work together with the state and local government to provide a sustainable model for easy access to potable water and water for sanitation. In schools, the program will focus on water for sanitation, safe drinking water, and hygiene promotion
Speaking at today’s inauguration ceremony, Mr. Issam Bachaalani, Managing Director at Colgate Palmolive (India) Limited, said, “We are happy to launch the program in Amravati in partnership with Water For People, after the successful implementation of our Water initiatives in Bihar and West Bengal. At Colgate, we believe in contributing to the communities where we live and work to help co-create a sustainable environment that enables all of us to live healthy, safe, and empowered lives. This water program in Amravati is our small, but meaningful step to enable availability of clean water, and we’ll continue to strive towards building a future that everyone can smile about.”
Also present at the inauguration ceremony were dignitaries: Mr. Abhijit Bangar – IAS, District Collector – Amravati; Ms. Meena Narula – Managing Trustee, Water For People India Trust; Mr. Shashank Deshpande – Senior Advisor, Water For People; Dr. Kiran Kulkarni CEO – Zilla Parishad, Amravati District; Mr. Pravin Khatne – Deputy Director GSDA, Amravati District; Ms. Uma Aslekar – Senior Scientist, ACWADAM; Dr. (Ms.) Bakul Rao – IIT Mumbai; Mr. Anand Godke – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Officer, Unicef Mumbai; and several other members from Amravati.
Besides a successful partnership in India, Water For People and Colgate-Palmolive Company have an on-going partnership with the Latin American countries of Peru and Guatemala.
About Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited
Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited is India’s leading provider of scientifically proven oral care products with multiple benefits at various price points. The range includes toothpaste, toothpowder, toothbrushes and mouthwashes under the “Colgate” brand, as well as a specialized range of dental therapies under the banner of Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals. The Company also provides a range of personal care products under the ‘Palmolive’ brand name. Colgate has been ranked as India’s #1 Most Trusted Brand across all categories for six consecutive years from 2003 to 2007 and from 2011-2016 by Brand Equity’s Most Trusted Brand Survey. To know more about Colgate, please visit www.colgate.co.in
About Water For People
Founded in 1991, Water For People is a global non-profit organization working in more than 30 districts across nine countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa to achieve lasting quality water and sanitation services. Water For People’s work in India began in 1996 with projects in West Bengal. Since that time, Water For People programming has evolved to best encompass the most pressing needs around water, sanitation and hygiene issues impacting Indians. With offices located in Delhi and Kolkata, Water For People is focused on reaching everyone in the operating districts of Sheohar, Patharpratima, and Sagar Island with water and sanitation services that are sustainably managed to ensure that they provide such access forever.
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