Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Messe Muenchen India concluded the 9th edition of IFAT India 2022 which brought together a wide range of environmental technology solutions and industry leaders under one roof. Held on 28-30 September 2022 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, this exhibition-cum-conference registered a 35% growth in domestic participation, covering 15,000 sqm space and 250+ exhibitors from 22 countries, along with pavilions from Germany, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. This edition also brought together 50+ high-quality conference speakers including environmental scientists, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, think tanks, government authorities, etc.
The chief guests at the inaugural ceremony were Achim Fabig, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mumbai; Martin Maier, Swiss Consul General in Mumbai; Arne Jan Flolo, Norwegian Consul General in Mumbai; Bart De Jong, Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mumbai; Damian Irzyk, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Mumbai; and Dr. Jairaj Phatak, Director General, All India Institute of Local Self-Government. The special address was delivered by Ramveer Tanwar, also known as the Pondman of India.
This edition of IFAT India also witnessed a healthy representation of both water treatment solutions as well as solid waste management technologies from Indian and European suppliers. One of the participants in the Polish Pavilion, Bartosz Kubicki said, “We specialize in recycling e-waste, and we are thrilled to participate in IFAT India 2022 after the success we experienced at IFAT Munich over the past few years. I am happy to learn about the vast opportunities in the Indian market and share my knowledge and experience of the e-waste recycling industry in Europe. We had exciting discussions at our booth as well as during the conferences and informal meetings. I’m looking forward to more business from India.”
In his special address, Mr. Tanwar highlighted the importance of technology solutions and multilateral support in empowering his team to unclog and beautify nearly 50 water bodies in North India. He said, “We started out as a small team of enthusiastic youth who manually cleaned local ponds and lakes. But today we have the support of corporates and local governing bodies who help us access suitable machinery solutions, thereby amplifying our efforts for better reach and results. Environmental technologies are upgrading every day as the climate crises deepens. Therefore, I’m happy to visit IFAT India 2022 as I can explore the latest technologies, learn from industry leaders, and expand my network to revive more water bodies and wetlands across the country.”
Today, one of the key drivers for environmental technologies in India is the government’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, or Clean India Mission. The strong policy focus towards this mission has seen active contributions from corporates, institutions as well as civil society. Therefore, IFAT India 2022 witnessed participation from leading corporates like JSW Steel, Zomato, and Bisleri, amongst many others. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), Surat Municipal Corporation, and Delhi Jal Board were among the key public sector participants
Bhupinder Singh, CEO, Messe Muenchen India, said, “IFAT India has once again proved to be a meeting place for ideas, innovations, and partnerships in India’s water, sewage, solid waste, and recycling industry. This year we have not only grown by 35% in domestic participation but also brought together an extensive spectrum of technologies for water and solid waste. IFAT India 2022 has reinforced its position as the leading platform to enable meaningful handshakes and unlock business opportunities for the Indian and global environmental technology community. We are grateful to our industry partners and policy advisors who helped us deliver value for all visitors and participants at IFAT India 2022.”
IFAT India 2022 also brought together some important visitors seeking to procure environmental technologies with demonstrated results.
Deepak Borkar, Executive Engineer, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), said, “At IFAT India, I have seen so much enthusiasm amongst the stakeholders. It is an excellent platform for both buyers and sellers who can meet and fulfil each other’s requirements and achieve their respective goals. This, in a way, is helping our country achieve economic progress.”
Carla Rossitto, Technical Advisor, GIZ, said, “IFAT India is an opportunity for exchange of knowledge and peer-to-peer learning. It is a great platform for those looking for new environmental technologies and solutions for a more sustainable urban infrastructure.”
Neetu Singh, Manager – Environment, Tata Consulting Engineers Limited, adds, “At Tata, it is our responsibility to provide the best possible solutions to our clients. To enable this, we need to update ourselves with various new technologies in the market. IFAT India helps us find the latest technologies on offer. Here we can directly interact with suppliers to know about the best products and services that we can then offer to our clients.”
This year, the fair offered power-packed conferences over three days in collaboration with associations such as the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA), German ReTech Partnership, Consulate General of the Netherlands in Mumbai, the Centre for Environment Education (CEE), International Council for Circular Economy, and Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA). The topics for the conferences included ‘Sustainable and Smart Solutions for Urban Development’, ‘German-Indian Solutions for Digitalization and Automation in the Water Sector’, ‘BioCNG Market in India: Treatment of Organic Municipal Waste – Developments, Innovations & Technologies’, ‘How Adoption of Western Technologies is Changing India’s Sustainability Landscape’, ‘Changemakers: Women Leaders Driving Sustainability’, ‘Design Thinking for Enabling a Circular Economy’, and ‘My Plastic My Responsibility’.
