NAMSAI, 7 Sep: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein inaugurated a two-day workshop on ‘Developing cadre of para-hydrogeologist on springshed management’ under the project ‘Spring rejuvenation for water security in Himalaya’ here on Tuesday.
The workshop is a collaborative initiative of the Arunachal University of Studies (AUS) here and Jorhat (Assam)-based Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI).
The DCM emphasized on the importance of water resource management and the need to develop “one jal abhyaranya demonstration model in the aspirational district of Namsai.”
The National Mission on Himalayan Studies is engaged in sustainable development of all the states of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). This mission has identified seven broad thematic areas, which include ‘spring rejuvenation for water security in Himalayas’ forming a part of water resource management, the AUS informed in a release.
“The project has selected 12 states from the IHR, out of which 12 districts are chosen for this project,” it said. The two-day workshop involves 100 participants who will be prepared as a cadre of para-hydrogeologists in the Namsai region and taught about spring shed management.
AUS chairman Dr Ashwani Lochan said that “we need to adopt adequate water harvesting streams to restore reservoir for spring water,” adding that “overuse of water without any sustainable measures will result in the depletion of the same.” He cited the example of the NCR in Delhi, “which is affected by polluted water in the Yamuna river filtered multiple times, making it toxic, which results in various bone diseases.”
RFRI director Dr Jayaraj made a presentation on various governmental initiatives, such as Article 47 of the constitution of India, which gives priority to clean drinking water, and the work of the water resource ministry for optimal use of water resources.
The project envisages contributing to the UNDP’s sustainable development goals 6.1 to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030.
Fifty-one trainees attended the inaugural session, along with several resource persons.