IIM Sirmaur organised webinar on: The path towards Sustainable Water Management
Centre for Sustainability and Environmental Management, IIM Sirmaur in collaboration with UBA Cell, IIM Sirmaur hosted a national webinar titled The path towards sustainable water management to commemorate World Water Day i.e., 22nd March, 2021. The CSEM was established in the year 2019 as initiative of Professor Neelu Rohmetra, Director IIM Sirmaur. The objective behind establishment of the centre is to promote active research in the field of environment management and sustainability issues and steer efforts and awareness in the similar direction. Across India, the webinar was attended by 150 participants.
Prof Rohmetra addressed the gathering in the closing session. She highlighted the importance of coexisting in harmony with environment for sustainable positive outcomes. She encouraged the students, faculties to participate in community outreach and welfare programmes as it is equally important to give back and serve the community. She thanked all the guest speakers for sharing their expertise in the area of water management and helping IIM Sirmaur fraternity, especially the students in understanding some of the key scientific issues associated with water management. The policy for resources management must align with sustainability perspectives, she emphasised. She also explained how the planning of upcoming permanent campus of IIM Sirmaur gave special consideration in retaining of trees. The permanent campus of IIM Sirmaur is designed to make least damage to the flora and fauna present in the vicinity, she said.
Earlier, Prof. Amrinder Singh welcomed the participants and the speakers in the opening session, and shed light on this year's theme of valuing water and how it is important to educate people about the importance of water and manage this important resource. Prof. Arpita Ghosh of IIM Sirmaur introduced guest speakers and emphasised on circular economy, adaptive water management, SDG action sixth goal i.e., clean water and sanitation for all.
The first keynote speaker was Prof. T.R. Sreekrishnan, DBEB, IIT Delhi. He discussed about the need to revisit systematic use of water resources, treatment technologies. He cited examples of heavy metal contamination observed in drinking water at various parts of India. Emerging contaminants are making microbes to become Antibiotic Resistant which usually would have takes less than 22 years. He also shared his experience of working in international funded project in collaboration with Netherlands and India Local treatment of Urban Sewage for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) program where they are reusing waste water for portable, industrial and irrigation uses.
The second speaker Shri. Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director, National Mission for Clean Ganga asked the participants to reflect how to value water and sensitise whole country in conserving water. He emphasised on the importance of quality of drinking water and highlighted the challenges associated with waste water management. He suggested integrated water management programs for rejuvenation of wetlands, urban water bodies and increase waste use efficiency of water for agricultural and industrial purposes. He envisions long term perspective regarding sustainable water management by sensitising people through behavioural change.
During the third speech, Prof. C Balomajumder, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IIT Roorkee spoke exclusively on the impact of nitrogen pollution in Yamuna River. He discussed about various forms of nitrogen like nitrites, nitrates etc contaminating Yamuna River. The last speech was delivered by Mr. K Sri Harsha, Founder, Kritsnam Technology, a start-up incubated in IIT Kanpur working in sustainable and smart water resource management through the use of IoT. He discussed manufacturing smart instruments for monitoring and collection real time data for data driven water management techniques. Prof. Pradipta Patra, faculty at IIM Sirmaur and coordinator UBA IIM Sirmaur gave the formal vote of thanks.
