- Kamal Khokhani, MD - AIM & Event Organiser -WPC 2013

A team from IPA comprising of Mr. Sudhakaran Nair, Mr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta, Mr. John Joseph, Mr. P. Ramachandran and I, had the privilege of making a presentation at the Triennial Meeting of World Plumbing Council (WPC), for hosting the 10th World Plumbing Conference in India, in 2013. The year was 2008, the location - Calgary, Canada and the outcome - IPA won the bid...

I am glad that right from being a part of the Bid Document preparation till the execution of the event, I have remained an integral part of this mega plumbing convention in India. I am now happy to capture the retrospective of this great event, which took place at The Grand Hotel, New Delhi on 14th and 15th November, 2013.

Let me start this narrative by

quoting from the World Plumbing Council website, “Plumbing has made an extraordinary but little recognised contribution to human health, the environment and prosperity since the beginning of civilisation.” The fact that as per World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, 80 percent of the sickness in the world is attributable to waterborne diseases and spread through poor hygiene practices, speaks volumes about the menace incorrect plumbing can cause.

If we look at the scenario in our country, India is well on its way to becoming an economic powerhouse, but like most developing nations, Environment, Health and Hygiene are major concerns. Hence, WPC 2013 focused on these three concerns as the central theme for deliberation to germinate and nurture fresh

thoughts on how to improve environment and national health through Private Enterprise, Public–Private Partnership and Corporate Social Responsibility programmes. The aim of the conference was to bring the focus on plumbing as an integral part of the construction business directly affecting the health of a nation. This automatically calls for stringent quality checks on the construction industry and plumbing sector in order to minimise waterborne and infectious diseases as far as possible. The three Technical Sessions covered different aspects of plumbing, sanitation, education, supply-chain management and lack of sufficient professional expertise and coordination among different governmental bodies.

A brief recapitulation of the events follow.

A GlobAl GAtherinG in10th World Plumbing Conference

Bengaluru Delegation

German Delegation

Pune Delegation

South African Delegation

Chinese Delegation

Polish Delegation

Nashik Delegation

Australian DelegationScottish Delegation

US Delegation

The conference started with the Indian National Anthem, (recently declared as the best anthem of the world by UNESCO), followed by lighting of the lamp to symbolise the inauguration of the conference. The dignitaries were offered a floral welcome. The conference hall was packed to capacity. 600 delegates who had arrived from different parts of the world including Australia, China, Scotland, Germany, UK, Canada, Poland, New Zealand, Switzerland, UAE, USA, Singapore and South Africa, besides different parts of India, participated in the conference.

In a short ceremony, Mr. Robert Burgon, CEO, SNIPEF – Scotland, the host of the 9th World Plumbing Conference, held in Edinburgh, handed over the WPC Roll of Honour to the host of this 10th World Plumbing Conference Mr. Sudhakaran Nair in his capacity as the President of Indian Plumbing Association.

Mr. Sudhakaran Nair, then delivered his address extending a warm welcome to everyone. He stressed the need for stringent regulatory and administrative checks to ensure sanitation and health of the people. He underlined the urgent need for strong support from the government to spread plumbing education in India. He added that “A Plumber is nation’s health worker and this conference is being held to let India and the world know the role of the plumber for a healthy society.” Mr. Nair further said, “In India, 75 percent of plumbers work in the unorganised sector, causing high levels of unsafe installations risking the lives of people.”

This was followed by a Special Address by Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney, Chairman of the World Plumbing Council. He pointed out that India has a huge opportunity in the plumbing sector and can emerge as a world leader. Mr. Chaney urged the Indian plumbing industry to

develop innovative technologies as plumbing is directly related to health. “Sanitation of 1.2 billion people is in the hands of plumbers of the country and India has to raise the bar on the safety of plumbing,” he said. Talking about the pioneering work done by IPA, he further added, “The country has a great future. The foundation has been laid but there is much more to be done.” He also said that the World Plumbing Council (WPC) is working in tandem with World Health Organisation (WHO) to improve the health of the people, across the world. Talking about the plumbing codes, education and training, he said, “India’s enthusiasm, displayed over the years, has given us a clear indication that it will be a key player in the WPC and in the health sector.”

Mr. M. K. Gupta, Chairman of IPA Delhi Chapter introduced the Guest of Honour, Ms. Mili Majumdar, Director, Sustainable Habitat Division, TERI.

INAUGURAL SESSION

World Plumbing Conference 2013 inaugurated at the worthy hands of Ms. Mili Majumdar. Also seen in the picture (L to R) are : Mr. C. S. Gupta, Hon. Secretary - IPA; Mr. Sudhakaran Nair, President - IPA and Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney, Chairman - WPC

Mr. Robert Burgon handed over the ‘WPC Roll of Honour’ to Mr. Sudhakaran Nair

Mr. M. K. Gupta introducing the Guest of Honourof the conference

Mr. P. Ramachandran introducing the Chief Guestof the conference

Ms. Majumdar while addressing the audience, said that the bigger challenge than creating the codes and encouraging innovations was changing mindsets, influencing policies and transforming our landscapes with sustainable growth systems. She added that India is already water-

Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney

India’s enthusiasm, displayed over the

years, has given us a clear indication that

it will be a key player in the WPC and in the

health sector

We have to focus on research to develop alternative

materials, taking advantage of the huge progress in

science and technology. It will take years to retrieve what we have lost but we can make our living better with the help of research

Mr. T. K. A. Nair

stressed and needs to introduce regulatory codes to preserve water resources. “Water audit should be made mandatory for the construction industry. There should also be effective ways for rain-water harvesting,” she emphasised.

Mr. P. Ramachandran, Chairman, IPA Kerala Chapter, then introduced the Chief Guest, Mr. T. K. A. Nair, Advisor to Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

Mr. T.K.A. Nair, in his Inaugural Address, talked about the importance of plumbing codes vis-à-vis green plumbing. “The construction sector is booming and rapid urbanization has not come without a cost,” he said. “Plumbing Codes and their implementation are important for laying the foundations for green technology.” He agreed that in spite of India having the codes and the expertise, the implementation was a long way off. “We have to focus on research to develop alternative materials, taking advantage of the huge progress in science and technology. It will take years to retrieve what we have lost but we can make our living better with the help of research,” he added.

This was followed by Mr. Sudhakaran Nair presenting a memento to Mr. T. K. A. Nair; Mr. John Joseph to Mr. Sudhakaran Nair; Mr. B. S. A. Narayan to Ms. Mili Majumdar; Mr. Vinay Gupta to Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney; and Mr. Ajit Nair to Mr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta.

The Inaugural Session concluded with Vote of Thanks, offered by Mr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta, Hon. Gen. Secretary of IPA. In his brief speech, he appreciated everyone’s support and contribution for putting up such a world class conference.

Water audit should be made mandatory for the construction

industry. There should also be effective

ways for rain-water harvesting

Ms. Mili Majumdar

In India, 75 percent of plumbers work in

the unorganised sector, causing high levels

of unsafe installations risking the lives

of people

Mr. Sudhakaran Nair

Mr. Sudhakaran Nair withMr. T. K. A. Nair

Mr. John Joseph withMr. Sudhakaran Nair

Mr. Vinay Gupta with Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney

Mr. B. S. A. Narayan withMs. Mili Majumdar

Mr. Ajit Nair withMr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta

The online document titled “Environmental Aspects of Plumbing”, compiled by WPC Directors Blane Judd and Richard Prospal was released for the first time in print by IPA. Lubrizol Corporation took up the initiative to support publication costs. This book was released by the Chief Guest Mr. T. K. A. Nair and Guest of Honour, Ms. Mili Majumdar. Mr. Manoj Dhar and Mr. Manish Jain from Lubrizol joined the dignitaries, during the release of the document.

RELEASE Of PUBLICAtIONS

IPA and IAPMO-India, have been successful in their joint venture of releasing the plumbing codes, which are updated every three years. As part of this, IPA announced the release of the 2013 Green Plumbing Code Supplement- India, which was initially published in 2010. Mr. T. K. A. Nair and Ms. Mili Majumdar released the code in the presence of Mr. B. S. A. Narayan, Vice President of IPA and the Convenor of IPA Technical Committee, along with IAPMO officials, Ms. Neeta Sharma, Ms. Megan Lehtonen and Mr. Allen Inlow.

Release of ‘Environmental Aspects of Plumbing’

Release of ‘2013 Green Plumbing Code Supplement-India’

EAP.indd 1 9/10/2013 2:46:12 PM

2013 marked IPA’s 20th Anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, IPA decided to felicitate three individuals, who have made invaluable contribution in building this great institution, through their vision and efforts. Three stalwarts, Mr. S. G. Deolalikar, Mr. Nariman Nallaseth and Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney were honoured by the Chief Guest Mr. T. K. A. Nair.

Mr. S. G. Deolalikar, Chairman Emeritus of IPA, has truly been the father figure for the plumbing fraternity in modern India. He is the founder president of IPA and has been instrumental in creating a platform for the plumbing

fraternity to unite. He was the recipient of IPA’s first ever Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. WPC had conferred the prestigious WPC Medallion upon him in 2006.

Mr. Nariman Nallaseth is the living legend of Indian plumbing fraternity. He has groomed and promoted many of the top plumbing professionals of India, across the country. He was conferred upon IPA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, in appreciation of his unparalleled contribution to the Indian plumbing industry.

Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney, Chairman, World Plumbing Council

(WPC), and the Executive Director of the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), USA, needs no introduction to Indian plumbing industry. It is under his stewardship, IPA and IAPMO could bring out five plumbing codes in six years and also launch plumbing training and education programme in India.

This was followed by the recognition and felicitation of three former chairmen of WPC. Mr. Stuart Henry (2002- 05), Mr. George Bliss-III (2005-08) and Mr. Robert D. Burgon (2008-11) were honoured for their efforts and initiatives to take WPC to greater heights.

IPA fELICItAtIONS

Mr. S. G. Deolalikar being felicitated byMr. T. K. A. Nair

Mr. Stuart Henry being felicitated byMr. T. K. A. Nair

Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney being felicitated byMr. T. K. A. Nair

Mr. Robert Burgon being felicitated byMr. T. K. A. Nair

Mr. Sudhakaran Nair receiving the plaque on behalf of Mr. Nariman Nallaseth

Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney receiving the plaque on behalf of Mr. George Bliss-III

Session Chairman - Mr. Elmar Esser

It is estimated that by 2040, there will be approximately 8 billion people on this planet, most of them in the developing countries. Water and sanitation will be at the forefront of the issues plaguing the world; as water is likely to become the scarcest and the most critical resource and a major source of conflict too. It is no surprise therefore, that the first technical session dealt with the major concerns of water, sanitation and environment.

Chairman of this session was Mr. Elmar Esser, Chief Executive of Zentraverband Sanitar, Heizung Klima (ZVSHK) from Germany.

Mr. B. Manjunath, IPA NEC member from Bengaluru, offered floral welcome to Mr. Esser.

In his opening remarks, Mr.

Esser emphasised the need of water conservation, as it is “the most precious commodity in the world with only one percent renewable fresh water left.” He talked about the fast growing population of the world and increasing unequal distribution of the world’s water resources between the industrialized and the developing countries.

The first speaker of the session, Ar. Karan Grover from Karan Grover Associates, Vadodara was offered a floral welcome by Mr. Avinash Laddha, President’s Nominee to National Executive Committee of IPA. Ar. Grover made a fantastic and mind-boggling presentation on ‘Envisioning Healthy Habitats: Hygiene, Sustainability and the Environment.’ As an architect, he did not touch upon the

technical aspects of plumbing, but instead, made an emphatic appeal to his fraternity not to compromise on sustainability when designing products. “Companies are pushing to have innovation,” he said. However innovation means “where design is not just aesthetic trappings, but tested and scrutinised for sustainability. The final product has to be luxurious both in style and form and the result of cutting edge technology,” he said. Ar. Grover emphasised that architects don’t need to compromise on sustainability to create luxury. In his persuasive style, Ar. Grover concluded, “Long before the term conservation came to be known, our forefathers believed in conservation. Our style used the vernacular and our ancestors respected that. What needs to be done now is adapting

tECHNICAL SESSION - I

Mr. B. Manjunath withMr. Elmar Esser

Mr. Surendra Mathur withMr. Elmar Esser

Ar. Karan Grover withMr. Avinash Laddha

Mr. Sandeep Engineer withAr. Karan Grover

them to our contemporary requirements.”

Ar. Karan Grover was presented

a memento by Mr. Sandeep Engineer, Chairman, IPA Gujarat Chapter.

The second speaker in the session, Mr. Henry Hung, former Deputy Chairman of World Plumbing Council (WPC) and currently, the overseas consultant of the Plumbing Facilities Committee of China, was offered floral welcome by Mr. Manoj Mathur, IPA NEC member from Hyderabad.

Mr. Hung talked about his experience in the study of disease transmission through inefficient plumbing systems, while highlighting the health aspect of plumbing. He said that in 2003, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic killed 299 people in Hong Kong. The World Health Organisation concluded that ‘inadequate plumbing systems contributed to spread of SARS.’ In 2012, Legionnaires disease was found in a government building in Hong Kong. According to Hung, “diseases like SARS and Legionnaires spread quickly through ventilation systems or when fecal matter enters the

distribution system.” Citing the example of such cases, he emphasised the importance of plumbing in overall health and sanitation. “It’s a huge challenge for countries like China and India to ensure greater training and education for better and efficient plumbing systems,” he added.

Mr. B. O. Prasanna Kumar,

Chairman, IPA Bangalore Chapter, presented a memento to Mr. Henry Hung.

Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar, Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad, and the next speaker in the session was offered a floral welcome by Mr. Rahul Dhadphale, IPA NEC member from Pune.

Dr. Iyengar talked about the need for education and training for better sanitation. He used irony and humour tellingly to drive home his message. In reference of the presentation made by Mr. Henry Hung, he spoke about the worrying statistics stating, “52 percent of Indian households have no plumbing systems and therefore, we don’t need to worry about SARS!” He also remarked, “There is no coordination between the

government agencies when it comes to monitoring and ensuring quality checks — water is the concern of one department while sanitation is under another department.” Dr. Iyengar concluded that countries like India, which have a sea of humanity with their huge populations, must find indigenous answers to their problems.” He added, “It is unfortunate that in India, where toilets are an expensive proposition and open defecation is earmarked by caste, political parties are now talking about the need for more toilets as their development goal.”

Mr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta, Hon. Gen. Secretary, IPA, presented a memento to Dr. Iyengar.

Mr. Surendra Mathur, Chairman, IPA Jaipur Chapter, presented a memento to Mr. Elmar Esser, who then concluded the session for the day.

Evening refreshments were sponsored by Alfa UV and Oriplast. A cultural programme in the evening sponsored by KiTEC Industries Ltd. and Welcome Dinner sponsored by Geberit and Duraflo concluded the day.

Ar. Karan Grover

Mr. Henry Hung

Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar

Mr. Manoj Mathur withMr. Henry Hung

Mr. B. O. Prasanna Kumar withMr. Henry Hung

Mr. Rahul Dhadphale withDr. Sudarshan Iyengar

Mr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta withDr. Sudarshan Iyengar

tECHNICAL SESSION - II

The second day of the conference saw some innovative and thought- provoking presentations.

Mr. P. Balasubramanian, Member of Local Organising Committee, offered a floral welcome to Mr. Richard Prospal, International Past President of the American Society of Sanitary Engineering, Ohio, USA - the Session Chairman. Mr. Prospal, after brief opening remarks, invited the speakers for the day. The first speaker of the day, Mr. Steve Brown, National Operations Manager IOP (SA), Johannesburg, South Africa, was given a floral welcome by Mr. H.R.Ranganath, IPA NEC member from Bengaluru.

Mr. Brown made a forceful presentation on ‘What first world countries can learn from

third world countries?’ While the developing world struggles to find answers to shortages in water resources and expertise, Mr. Brown raised a different yet pertinent point. He said that the bureaucracy all over the world was pushing for more regulations rather than training and education. But the biggest

challenge is to curtail wastage by the developed world and lack of expertise in the plumbing community in the developing world. He stressed not just on the importance of codes and regulations, but also their proper implementation. He showed how India and South Africa were

very similar in their challenges, when it came to water woes.

Mr. Manish Jain, IPA NEC member from New Delhi, presented a memento to Mr. Steve Brown.

Mr. Ron George, President, Plumb-Tech Design & Consulting Services, LLC, Michigan, USA, the second speaker of the day, was given a floral welcome by Mr. Alok Gupta, IPA NEC member from Jaipur.

Mr. George discussed ways to prevent the spread of deadly pathogens like Legionella and Naegleria Fowleri in building water systems. Legionnaires disease killed 29 people in Philadelphia in 1976. He gave an in-depth presentation on the different methods of disinfection like use of high temperature techniques, chlorination of

Mr. Steve Brown

Mr. Alok Gupta withMr. Ron George

Mr. P. Balasubramanian withMr. Richard Prospal

Mr. Rajiv Tyagi withMr. Richard Prospal

Mr. Steve Brown withMr. H. R. Ranganath

Mr. Manish Jain withMr. Steve Brown

Session Chairman - Mr. Richard Prospal

building water systems, keeping water tanks circulated to prevent bacteria to grow at the bottom and use of chlorine injection pumps so that these pathogens are not able to survive. Examples of recent Legionella and Naegleria Fowleri (the brain eating amoeba) outbreaks that led to deaths were given in the presentation. The presentation also covered the design, installation and maintenance concepts that should be followed to minimize the growth of microorganisms in the building water system.

Mr. Milind Shete, Chairman, IPA Nashik Chapter, presented a memento to Mr. Ron George.

The next speaker of the session, Prof. Lynne Jack, Director of Research at the School of Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh was offered a floral welcome by Mr. Dipen Mehta, Hon. Secretary, IPA Gujarat Chapter.

Prof. Lynne Jack’s presentation discussed about maximising the contribution of academic research to environment, health and hygiene and the role of numerical simulation modeling in understanding plumbing issues. She said that the leap from numerical simulation models to practical application of outputs within the context of water and

sanitation has, at times, been perceived as significant; although in recent years a stronger focus on applicability of results to real-life problems has highlighted the substantial contribution that research and development in simulation modeling can make in this field. She further added, “Research and development is one aspect of the solution in dealing with the health and sanitation efforts through the plumbing

sector and the construction business at large. What is more important is also the individual effort and changing of regressive mindsets in countries like India.”

Mr. Milind Shete, Chairman, IPA Nashik Chapter, presented a memento to Prof. Lynne Jack.

The next speaker, Mr. Aabid Surti, founder of “Drop Dead Foundation”, was offered a floral welcome by Mr. Sandeep Kumar Roy Choudhary, Chairman, IPA Kolkata Chapter.

Mr. Surti addressed the gathering by recalling his own journey ‘from rags to the World Plumbing Conference.’ He is a ‘one-man army’ whose quest to repair leaking taps, free of cost, has in statistical terms saved more than 4,00,000 litres of water every year. Going by this average, since 2007, Mr.Surti said that he has

saved two million litres of water. The water warrior’s slogan is “Save a Drop or Drop Dead” and his innovative and effective plan of action has won him several awards and applause. Mr. Surti talked about how water saving initiatives can be managed and turned into a movement without large resource base, driving home the idea, that ultimately it is the individual effort that matters. He emphasised that water conservation was like need of the hour for mankind.

Mr. H. R. Ranganath, IPA NEC member from Bengaluru, presented a memento to Mr. Aabid Surti.

In appreciation of the noble initiative that Mr. Surti has ‘single-handedly’ volunteered over the years, IPA President, Mr. Sudhakaran Nair announced a donation of ` 1 lakh from IPA

to aid Mr. Surti’s endeavour. Mr. Nair also offered the prestigious IPA Fellowship to Mr. Surti.

Mr. Rajiv Tyagi, Member of Local Organising Committee, presented a memento to Mr. Richard Prospal, who closed the session.

This was followed by lunch which was sponsored by Prime Gold, Kaneka, APL Apollo, AO Smith, Villeroy & Boch and Surya Pipes.

Mr. Ron George

Prof. Lynne Jack

Mr. Aabid Surti

Mr. Milind Shete withMr. Ron George

Mr. Dipen Mehta withProf. Lynne Jack

Mr. Sandeep Kumar Roy Choudharywith Mr. Aabid Surti

Mr. Milind Shete withProf. Lynne Jack

Mr. H. R. Ranganath withMr. Aabid Surti

tECHNICAL SESSION - III

Mr. David Viola

Mr. H. K. Khilnani withProf. Mala Rao

Mr. Shayne La Combre Mr. Gurmit Singh Arora with Mr. Shayne La Combre

Mr. B. S. A. Narayan withMr. David Viola

Session Chairman - Mr. Shayne La Combre

The last session of the event was opened by Session Chairman, Mr. Shayne La Combre, CEO of Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre, Victoria, Australia, who was given a floral welcome.

The first speaker of the session was Mr. David Viola, Senior Director, Technical Services, IAPMO, Chicago, USA.

Mr. Viola gave his presentation on the ‘Critical Role of Plumbing Industry in Addressing Global Water Challenges.’ He spoke about the need to move from merely talking to putting a concrete plan together. His presentation focused on the importance of a trained plumbing workforce and fully developed codes and standards. He emphasised the need to change the historical approaches to water problems. He asked the plumbing fraternity to

get involved in strategic discussions, engage political forces and all stakeholders, and accelerate the development and implementation of better and efficient plumbing systems. Mr. Viola ended by saying that the plumbing community is the ‘real interface’ between the consumer and the manufacturers, and hence, it is the responsibility

of this community to work towards water conservation. His message to the conference can be summarised in five points - (1) Get involved in strategic discussions; (2) Engage political forces and all stakeholders; (3) Accelerate development and implementation; (4)

Work towards high-efficiency plumbing systems and (5) Build safe and sustainable plumbing codes and standards.

Mr. B. S. A. Narayan, Vice President, IPA, presented a memento to Mr. David Viola.

The next speaker of the session, Prof. Mala Rao, Professor of International Health at the University of East London, was given a floral welcome by Mr. H.K.Khilnani, Member of Local Organising Committee.

Prof. Rao discussed about water conservation vis-à-vis climate change. Against the backdrop of the current and ongoing water crisis, Prof. Rao said, “Members of the plumbing fraternity should contribute proactively to action and research on climate change, help others with their expertise, build capacity in backward countries, and

involve indigenous women and children in management

and conservation.” Prof. Rao explained how climate change i.e. changes in temperature and precipitation and changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events will affect the supply, quality and distribution of water resources worldwide, also leading to more challenges in providing good sanitation practices. She urged the plumbing fraternity to join the effort to manage the water resources better, improve sanitation and demonstrate leadership in addressing climate change.

Mr. Pratik Shah, IPA NEC Member from Gujarat, presented a memento to Prof. Mala Rao.

The next speaker in the session was Dr. Pawan Agrawal, President, Mumbai Dabbawala Education Centre.

Dr. Agrawal gave a delightful and energetic speech on supply chain management. With his signature style, Dr. Agrawal talked about Mumbai’s Dabbawalas, who have been studied extensively for their successful work and are recognised by Forbes Magazine for their Six Sigma rated systems. Dr. Agrawal spoke of

the lessons from the Dabbawalas on supply-chain management. He said that if an illiterate work force could be changed into one of the most successful systems in the world, then the plumbing community could definitely draw inspiration from it to make

its supply-chain management more efficient creating a win-win situation for all the stakeholders — manufacturers, designers, installers and end-users.

Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney, Chairman, WPC, presented a memento to Dr. Pawan Agrawal.

The last speaker of the conference, Dr. Madhav Chitale, a Water Management Expert from Aurangabad, was presented a floral welcome by Mr. Nikhil Jain, Member of Local Organising Committee.

Dr. Chitale talked about the management of piped networks in providing an initial base for extensive work in domestic and sewage water systems. He also discussed the need to include private organisations for public causes. He discussed how supply system of water falls within the public domain such as irrigation purposes or municipal services. He said that engaging capable private parties would improve the efficiency

in the management of these services. He emphasised the need to involve such private parties considering the bigger cause of water conservation. While concluding, he said, “Sanitation, especially that of the poor, affects global health, which is a problem for everyone. As urban areas expand by nearly 100 percent, plumbing coverage must also increase substantially.”

Mr. Kamal Harpalani, Executive

Secretary of IPA, presented a memento to Dr. Madhav Chitale.

Mr. Shayne La Combre concluded the session and was presented a memento by Mr. Gurmit Singh Arora, Chairman, IPA Mumbai Chapter.

The session ended with Mr. Gurmit Singh Arora, giving the Vote of Thanks. He was presented a memento by Mr. P. Balasubramanian, Member of Local Organising Committee.

This was followed by refreshments sponsored by Alfa UV and Oriplast. Cultural programme sponsored by Prince SWR Systems and Valedictory Dinner sponsored by Geberit and Duraflo brought the curtains down on the 10th World Plumbing Conference.

Prof. Mala Rao

Dr. Pawan Agrawal

Dr. Madhav Chitale

Mr. Pratik Shah withProf. Mala Rao

Mr. Nikhil Jain withDr. Madhav Chitale

Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney withDr. Pawan Agrawal

Mr. Kamal Harpalani withDr. Madhav Chitale

CANDID MOMENtS

Ms. Mili Majumdar Mr. Jim Kendzel Mr. Henry Hung Mr. T. K. A. Nair

Mr. Richard Prospal Mr. Brian Collis Dr. Pawan Agrawal & Dr. Sudarshan Iyenger Mr. Nazzareno Ottobre

Prof. Mete Demiriz Mr. Steve Silber Mr. Colin Stainer Mr. M. K. Gupta

Mr. Michael Massey Mr. Stuart Henry & Mr. G. P. Russ Chaney Mr. Aabid Surti Dr. Prem C. Jain

Mr. Bradley O’ Carroll

Ar. J. R. Bhalla Mr. Sudhakaran Nair & Mr. T. K. A. Nair Mr. G. P. Russ ChaneyAr. Karan Grover

Mr. Steven White Mr. Avinash Laddha Mr. Shayne La Combre

PRODUCt EXHIBItION

As a part of this international event, an exclusive product exhibition was organised. A display of a variety of plumbing products, ranging from piping to shower faucets, gave the plumbing professionals a chance to study new products for better and more efficient plumbing systems. The National and International companies, some of whom were also the sponsors of WPC 2013, presented their products in the exhibition.

CULtURAL EXtRAVAGANZA

Each day of the conference ended with cultural shows featuring Indian classical music and dance, vibrantly showcasing the nuances of the rich Indian culture and heritage. The programmes on both the days were choreographed and produced under the able guidance of Guru Balakrishna Marar of Vishnupriya Natyalaya, Noida. The cultural programme on the first day featured seven classical dances of India – Bharatnatyam from Tamil Nadu; Kathak from Uttar Pradesh; Kuchipudi from Andhra Pradesh; Kathakali and Mohiniyattam from Kerala, Odissi from Odisha and Manipuri from Manipur. The rustic folk dances of India included – Bhangra from Punjab; Raas Garba from Gujarat; Kalbelia from Rajasthan; Bihu from Assam and Lavni from Maharashtra, among others. An exciting martial art performance of Manipur, called Thang-ta was the highlight of the day! The performances were presented by a troupe of more than 70 artists from various parts of India.

‘Distinguished Service Award’ being conferred upon Mr. Henry Hungby Mr. Sudhakaran Nair and Mr. G.P. Russ Chaney

All those who attended were unanimous in their appreciation of the quality of speakers and arrangements at the venue. The challenge for IPA is to use the momentum generated by the conference to give further impetus to their stated mission of Redefining Plumbing Standards in India.

Let me conclude with a passage from the WPC website. “Population growth and urbanisation, coupled with increasing globalisation, pose some real challenges to our growing global communities in ensuring the integrity of plumbing systems. Whatever the technology, locality or culture involved - quality water supply and sanitation are constant fundamentals of a healthy human society in both the built and natural environments. Technology may change, and cultures may evolve, but this fact of life will not. Everyone needs and deserves fresh water!”

tHANKSGIVING

CONCLUSION

Before I conclude this narrative, I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude for the constant guidance and support, I, Akshat and the entire team at AIM received throughout, from IPA President, Mr Sudhakaran Nair. His eye for detailing and concern for minutiae were like a constant source of inspiration for all of us at AIM! Here, I would also like to add that, the sustained support we received from the members of the Steering Committee; Central Office Bearers; Mr. M. K. Gupta, Chairman IPA DC and his team; IPA HQ and IPA NEC members were vital to the success of this memorable conference! Even at the risk of looking formal, I would like to say a BIG Thank You to IPA for the felicitation of Team AIM for the job well done.

With inputs from Tulsi Vakil & Srushti Shah

Team AIM with Mr. Sudhakaran NairMr. M. K. Gupta and his team with Mr. Sudhakaran Nair

Taal Vadya Kacheri, roughly translated as Percussive Rhythms, marked the end of the conference on the second day. It consisted of musical genres from the North (Hindustani) and South (Carnatic) music. It was an evening enchanted by beautiful rhythms through Indian musical instruments like – Pakhvaj, Dholak, Damru, Mridangam, Duff, Kanjira, Bansuri, Santoor, Tabla, Harmonium, Shehnai, Sarangi, Bhungal, Morchang etc. An array of maestros, with their expertise lent an exotic feel to the performance.

The vibrancy, grandeur and the richness of the performances were an audio–visual delight. Flaunting the unique Indian culture and heritage, these performances truly made this a conference, where technical sessions of high caliber, blended seamlessly with passionate talks on offbeat topics and were rounded off by captivating dance, music and great cuisine.

Mr. Aabid Surti receiving an endowmentof 1̀ lakh from IPA President,

Mr. Sudhakaran Nair