The growing realisation of the havoc created by neglecting water bodies has brought to fore the importance of their conservation and experts will formulate strategies to prevent the decay of waterbodies at a workshop in the city. The international workshop, combined with technical talks on ‘Water Resources – Perspectives and Management in Karnataka’, will be held at the National Institute of Engineering (NIE) here on January 18 and 19. There will also be a three-day technical session on research opportunities in the field of hydrology from January 20 to 22.
Underlining the importance of the workshop, Dr. R.Yadupathi Putti, programme coordinator, and professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, NIE, pointed out that small tanks are traditional means of harvesting runoff water in the minor streamlets characterising the undulating topography of the plateau of south India. But with the enormous growth of urban areas in recent decades, several rural tanks are also now in the midst of urban conglomerates.
Dr. Putti said that polluted tanks lose their purpose and are not only an eye-sore, but are health hazard too. Hence, it is necessary to see that urbanisation does not lead to deterioration of tanks, he said.
Dr.Putti said that the workshop is being organised to create awareness among the participants of the strategies that could effectively help prevention of loss of urban tanks and at the same time help recycling and reusing domestic sewage.
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“The workshop can be expected to highlight the state of urban tanks in Mysuru,” he said. The workshops also include field visits to tanks in Mysuru and the experimental watersheds in Kodagu.
Experts from across the State, involved in active research and planning, will be delivering lectures and guiding the delegates. Faculty members from engineering colleges and postgraduate students in water resources or hydraulics branch may register as participants. Besides, a group of five delegates from the Russian State Hydro Meteorological University is also participating in the programme, Dr. Putti said.