For waste management training, Delhi govt to send team to Japan

To learn the best practices in solid waste management, sewage disposal, drinking water supply and environment, the Delhi government will send a team to Fukuoka Prefecture (a province) in Japan.

To learn the best practices in solid waste management, sewage disposal, drinking water supply and environment, the Delhi government will send a team to Fukuoka Prefecture (a province) in Japan.

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Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) of friendship with Hiroshi Ogawa, Governor of Fukuoka Prefecture, at the Japanese Ambassador's residence in the Capital.

Prefectures are provinces. There are 47 Prefectures or provinces in Japan.

"The government of Delhi will send its teams to Fukuoka Prefecture for training. The chief minister has mentioned that handling municipal waste and industrial waste is an issue where she wants to enhance cooperation with Fukuoka Prefecture. We can send our experts to audit various civic amenities and suggest solutions to further improve them," Ogawa told Hindustan Times.

The two governments had earlier signed the MoU in March 2007. After five years of mutually beneficial and fruitful association, the two local governments have decided to continue their cooperation, Ogawa said.

While it is his first visit to Delhi as the governor of Fukuoka, Ogawa has been to the Capital twice before. His last visited Delhi three years ago with the Japanese PM as his secretary for public relations. Though his visits to Delhi have always been short and hectic, Ogawa said he observed the city has improved.

"It is definitely cleaner, looks better planned and the quality of air has improved," Ogawa said.

The governor said during the economic growth of Fukuoka, the city also faced issues like pollution. "We have faced all those issues and we know how to overcome them. We have the technological knowhow on various aspects," he said.

Ogawa is accompanied by various groups from the field of education and business. Apart from increasing cooperation with Delhi government, the local government of Fukuoka Prefecture is also looking at better economic, business and cultural ties with Delhi.

"We have 9,200 foreign students in Fukuoka and only 13 of them are from India," he said.