Visakhapatnam: ICID congress recommends climate-resilient water infra

Visakhapatnam: Chairman of Indian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (INCID), Central Water Commission, Kushvinder Vohra underlined the need for efficient operation of existing irrigation infrastructure.

Sharing the recommendations that emerged from the three-day-long international congress of the 25th International Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) at a media conference held here on Saturday, Kushvinder Vohra said that climate change is a serious issue that needs to be addressed at a deeper level. “To tackle this concern, it is imperative to build climate-resilient water infrastructure. So that in future, water woes could be resolved in a far more effective manner,” he opined.

For this to become a reality, he laid emphasis on the need to analyse the existing infrastructure, how they fit into climate resilient structures and those that are not conducive, what measures could be considered to make them climate resilient, Kushvinder Vohra shared, adding that the reviewing exercise of water infrastructure has begun and the analysis of design capacity will also be carried out, among other measures.

From issues concerning water resources to irrigation efficiency and bringing out sustainable solutions to address water concerns, the congress covered a wide range of topics.

Focusing on the theme ‘tackling water scarcity in agriculture’, the three-day international congress of the 25th International Congress of the ICID included 18 sessions, six international workshops, 12 side events, two international symposiums and plenary sessions. The deliberations largely centred on effective water management, drainage streamlining and flood controlling.

Agreeing that water management is going to be a challenging task in the years to come, the INCID Chairman called for concerted efforts in dealing with water-related concerns. “Empowerment of women and their involvement in water management would be encouraged. This apart, participatory irrigation management, building capacities, usage of technology, increased international collaborations and technology exchange would be key areas of focus,” he elaborated.

Besides encouraging startups to come up with innovative ideas to achieve water conservation goals, Kushvinder Vohra said efforts would also be taken to conserve water before monsoon.

Sharing details, Central Water Commission Director Sunil Kumar briefed about the discussion points at the congress.