German Environment Minister visiting India

New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks will be on a two-day visit to India from Jan 28 to participate in the second Indo-German Environment Forum here.

Hendricks along with her Indian counterpart Prakash Javadekar will inaugurate the environment forum that will focus on identifying the necessary framework, challenges and solutions for waste and water management, resource efficiency and sustainable urban development.

She will also hold bilateral meetings with Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Power Minister Piyush Goyal and Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, the German embassy here said in a press release.

She will also meet Ashok Khosla, president of Development Alternatives, a civil society organisation that addresses the issue of sustainable development as a whole.

Ambassador Michael Steiner said: "Germany has a lot of expertise in the fields of renewable energies, water and waste management as well as sustainable development.

"Germany is eager to share this expertise with India so as to enable all Indians to enjoy the benefits of economic development in a liveable, healthy environment."

The Indo-German Environment Forum, organised by India's ministry of environment and forests, Germany's ministry for the environment, nature conservation and nuclear safety, the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry brings together over 300 representatives from the government, industry and civil society, said the release.