Statement from the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River President for World Water Day, 22 March 2017

VIENNA, 22 March (International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River) – Wastewater from homes, cities, industry and agriculture flowing back to nature without being treated or reused is polluting the environment in many regions. Without proper wastewater treatment, we are losing valuable nutrients and releasing dangerous substances which is threatening human health and having an adverse effect on water resources and ecosystems.

Almost 16 million people in the Danube River Basin are not connected to public sewers and appropriate wastewater collection systems. An additional 10 million are discharging their domestic wastewater into surface waters, without treatment.

A question of adequate infrastructure

The work of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) has made a significant contribution to improvements in this area. Investments in urban wastewater treatment plants with minimum biological treatment technology and enhanced industrial technologies have helped decrease organic pollution significantly. Since 2005, organic emissions via wastewater have decreased by almost 50 per cent as a result of substantial development. Investments in urban wastewater treatment infrastructure have also resulted in a remarkable decrease of nutrient emissions. “Wastewater infrastructure  and wastewater collection and treatment have improved tremendously. Nevertheless, there are further  measures that can be taken and there is still room for improvement” says ICPDR President Peter Gammeltoft. By 2021, basic infrastructure facilities – either public sewer systems with adequate wastewater treatment or appropriate decentralized systems – will serve approximately 15 million inhabitants of the Danube River basin area.

Contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 6 & 14

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), launched in 2015, include a target to ensure everyone has access to safe water by 2030, making water a key issue in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty. Goal 6 covers the entire water cycle; including specific targets on safely treated wastewater and good ambient water quality (6.3); another target requires safe disposal of all sewage (6.2) and another advocates integrated water resources management and transboundary water cooperation (6.5). Attaining Sustainable Development Goal 6 will ensure the safe disposal of sewage for all and, in addition, halve the proportion of untreated wastewaters and increase water recycling and safe reuse.

The ICPDR as one of few freshwater River Basin Organisations (RBOs) in the world sees its role as direct contributor to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals which are part of a global agenda for the survival of the planet. “Indeed, with its work towards the reduction of nutrient pollution in the Danube, the ICPDR is improving both the ecological status of the river and the environmental status of the Black Sea. Thus ICPDR is also contributing to the implementation of Goal 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development,” said ICPDR President Peter Gammeltoft.

“We encourage you to be more water-issues aware on World Water Day and beyond! “he added.

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Streaming Sticks, Drones and Smart Home Products Top List of Devices that Can Compromise Consumers’ Security if Left Unprotected

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

• Survey reveals that 80 percent of consumers will likely holiday shop online this year
• Holiday season brings new gifts, and while 85 percent of consumers start using connected devices within the first day of receiving it, only 45 percent claim they take the proper security measures
• Consumers know it’s important to secure their devices, but nearly half (46 percent) are uncertain whether they are taking the proper security steps to do so

India- Nov. 23, 2016 – Today Intel Security announced its second-annual McAfee Most Hackable Holiday Gifts list to identify potential security risks associated with hot-ticket items this holiday season. The No. 1 most hackable gift category included laptops and PCs, followed by smartphones and tablets, media players and streaming sticks, smart home automation and devices, and finally, drones. To accompany the list, Intel Security conducted a survey to identify the risky behaviors consumers are engaging in during the holiday season and educate them on how to protect themselves.

“Unsurprisingly, connected devices remain high on holiday wish lists this year. What is alarming is that consumers remain unaware of what behaviors pose a security risk when it comes to new devices,” said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at Intel Security. “Consumers are often eager to use their new gadget as soon as they get it and forgo ensuring that their device is properly secured. Cybercriminals could use this lack of attention as an inroad to gather personal consumer data, exposing consumers to malware or identity theft or even use unsecured devices to launch DDoS attacks as in the recent Dyn attack.”

While a majority of consumers are aware of the vulnerabilities in older connected devices like laptops (73 percent), mobile phones (70 percent) and tablets (69 percent), they lack awareness about the potential risks associated with emerging connected devices, such as drones (20 percent), children’s toys (21 percent), virtual reality tech (18 percent), and pet gifts (11 percent). As technology continues to evolve, it is essential consumers  understand the risks associated with even the most unassuming devices. While 75 percent of consumers believe it’s very important to secure their online identities and connected devices, nearly half are uncertain if they are taking the proper security steps.

This Year’s Most Hackable Holiday Gifts Include:

1. Laptops and PCs – Laptops and PCs make great gifts, however, malicious apps targeting PCs are unfortunately common, and  are not just limited to Windows-based devices.

2. Smartphones and Tablets – Survey results revealed that 64% of consumers plan to purchase either a smartphone or tablet this holiday season. Just like PCs and laptops, malware could result in personal and financial information being stolen.

3. Media Players and Streaming Sticks – Media players and streaming sticks have changed the way consumers enjoy movies and TV, but consumers can unknowingly invite a cybercriminal into their living room by failing to update their device.

4. Smart Home Automation Devices and Apps – Today’s connected home devices and apps give users the power to control their homes from their smartphone. Unfortunately, hackers have demonstrated techniques that could be used to compromise Bluetooth powered door locks and other home automation devices.

5. Drones – Drone sales are expected to grow to more than $20 billion by 2022.  They can provide unique perspectives when it comes to shooting video and photos.  However, not properly securing the device could allow hackers to disrupt the GPS signal, or hijack your drone through its smartphone app.

Tips for Consumers to Protect Holiday Cheer:

To stay protected for a happier and safer holiday season, Intel Security has the following tips:

• Secure your device. Your device is the key to controlling your home and your personal information. Make sure you have comprehensive security software installed, like McAfee LiveSafe.
• Only use secure Wi-Fi. Using your devices, such as your smart home applications, on public Wi-Fi could leave you and your home open to risk.
• Keep software is up-to-date. Apply patches as they are released from the manufacturer. Install manufacturer updates right away to ensure that your device is protected from the latest known threats.
• Use a strong password or PIN. If your device supports it, use  multi-factor authentication (MFA) as it can include factors like a trusted device, your face, fingerprint, etc. to make your login more secure
• Check before you click. Be suspicious of links from people you do not know and always use internet security software to stay protected. Hover over the link to find a full URL of the link’s destination in the lower corner of your browser.

Find More Information: 

• To learn more about the list and survey, check out:
  • Blog post from Gary Davis: https://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/most-hackable-gifts-2016

Twitter: Follow @IntelSecurity for live online safety updates and tips. Use hashtag #safeholiday to discuss the Most Hackable Gifts of 2016

Survey Methodology

In September 2016, Intel Security commissioned OnePoll to conduct a survey of 9,800 consumers (aged 18-55+). Respondents were individuals who use an internet-enabled device on a daily basis in the following countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S.

About Intel Security

Intel Security, with its McAfee product line, is dedicated to making the digital world safer and more secure for everyone. Intel Security is a division of Intel Corporation. Learn more at www.intelsecurity.com.

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Due to seasonal, geographical and annual variation in availability of water as well as lack of adequate storage, substantial quantity of water, especially during monsoon season, remains unused and flows into sea. As per present assessment, the average annual water availability in the country is 1869 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM), i.e., about 66000 Thousand Million Cubic feet (TMC ft). Further, it has been estimated in the year 2009 by Central Water Commission (CWC) that about 450 BCM (15890 TMC ft) of surface water and by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) that about 243 BCM (8580 TMC ft) of ground water are being utilized for various purposes. Rest of the water 1176 BCM (41524 TMC ft), i.e., 62.9% of available water may be considered as flowing down to sea.

The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) (erstwhile Ministry of Irrigation) formulated a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Resources Development in 1980 envisaging inter-basin transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit basins/areas. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) set up in 1982 for carrying out various technical studies to establish the feasibility of the proposals of NPP, has identified 14 links under Himalayan Rivers Development Component and 16 links under Peninsular River Development Component.

Five Peninsular links namely (i) Ken – Betwa, (ii) Parbati – Kalisindh – Chambal, (iii) Damanganga – Pinjal, (iv) Par – Tapi – Narmada & (v) Godavari (Polavaram) – Krishna (Vijayawada) have been identified as priority links for taking up their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). DPR of one priority link namely Ken-Betwa has been completed and was communicated to the party States. Modifications of the proposals and final Detailed Project Report preparation have been taken up by NWDA in the light of observations of the concerned States. The Ken-Betwa link project has been included in the scheme of National Projects.

Further, after receiving the concurrence of the concerned States, NWDA has taken up the DPRs of two more priority links namely Par-Tapi-Narmada & Damanganga-Pinjal. Efforts are on to arrive at consensus amongst party States on the other priority links.

This information was given by Union Water Resources Minister Shri Harish Rawat in the Rajya Sabha today in reply to a written question whether it is a fact that every year the country looses 60,115 TMC or 87 per cent of available 68,969 TMC of water in Indian rivers; whether it is also a fact that various projects, detailed project report etc. from time to time are lying with Government regarding the proper use of water wealth in planned manner by interlinking various rivers; the details thereof; whether Government is considering actively to start any of the pending projects in this regard.

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