HSBC's Naina Lal Kidwai to crusade for water

Naina Lal Kidwai , general manager and country head of HSBC Bank has assumed a new role - sensitising her peers on the issue of water conservation.

" This is a serious matter. Everyone is talking about fuel and food but water is another resource which is in serious danger. As it is easily available and free of cost, it is also subjected to serious misuse and criminal wastage," Kidwai told Mail Today as she took over charge as vicepresident of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci).

In Ficci's 83-year history, Naina Lal Kidwai is the first woman vice-president. She is also the first professional to adorn that position.

Apart from pushing for financial sector reforms, she has taken up the task of battling for environmental issues with India Inc, especially water conservation, a subject that is very close to her heart.

" I have been associated with Ficci's finance committee for many years and will keep on pushing for financial sector reforms and issues related to banking and finance. But this (conservation of water) is something which is close to my heart," Kidwai said.

" Our ground water level is depleting very fast and there is a need to sensitise not only the farmers but also the corporate sector to stop the wastage of water, as in the coming years scarcity of water will emerge as a big challenge for the country," Kidwai said.

She will be heading a committee on water that will work to sensitise important industrial sectors like steel, manufacturing and agriculture about the careful use of water and will also be closely associated in their various water conservation projects.

According to Kidwai, the government is also waking up to the idea of green business.

" If you look at the Budget this year the aspects which interested me the most are green technology, electric cars, LEDs and the mention of cleaning the Indian rivers. It shows how sustainability and environment are becoming the language of the Budget," Kidwai added.

" India Inc needs to be sensitive about the issue of our natural resources," she said.

" If we look at inflation, apart from making supplyside interventions to moderate food inflation, it is imperative to factor in the volatility of global energy prices," Kidwai said. " This would make it necessary for India to seriously diversify its base of energy sources by developing non-fossil fuels in a big way, thereby reducing its dependence on high-cost imported crude oil," she added.

A chartered accountant, Kidwai is the first Indian woman to have graduated from the Harvard Business School. She has repeatedly ranked in the Fortune global list of Top Women in Business, 12th in the Wall Street Journal 2006 Global Listing of Women to Watch and listed by Time Magazine as one of the 15 Global Influentials 2002.

Courtesy: Mail Today">Mail Today