WATER RESOURCES DAY 2011 OBSERVED AT PAU

LUDHIANA, MAY 25:-----

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Department of Soil and Water Engineering, in collaboration with the Institution of Engineers (India), Ludhiana Local Center (IE (I)) organized Water Resources Day-2011, today. It was attended by the members of the IE (I), heads of departments of College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET) and scientists of PAU.

The Chief Guest, Dr. S.S.Gosal, Director of Research, in his remarks said that water is number one input in agriculture and that it should be used prudently. He shared that PAU has developed technologies for efficient use of water and to enhance productivity per drop of water. Dr. Gosal said that the fallout of the rampant rice-wheat cropping on which the green revolution depended was serious depletion of water table in Punjab especially in the central districts. He said that PAU has made efforts aimed at water saving that included use of laser land leveler, tensiometer aided irrigation in paddy, crops replacing rice, etc. and popularised water saving through Kisan Mela Slogans. He added that we should strive to keep a balance between the water draft and replenishment.

Dr. K.P.Singh, Professor of Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh and Director, Water Regime Management of Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, while deliberating on \'Water management issues with special reference to water quality and human health\', said that the water available for human development is less than 0.01% of total water on the earth system, he observed adding that 97% water is saline and of the remaining 3% fresh water available, 2.64% is fixed in glaciers or lying below 800 m depth. Dr. Singh elaborated that per year per person availability of water is relatively less in South-Asia. He shared that in India the availability of water is following a declining trend due to climate change, high evaporation and increasing needs of burgeoning population. He shared that the surface flow of rivers will decrease by 20% by the year 2020 and that by 2025 two third global population will live in serious water stress conditions.

The number of tubewells in Punjab increased from 1.92 lakh in 1970-71 to over 13 lakh now, observed Dr. Singh adding that more than 75% area is, over exploited. During the period 1975-2003, the fall of water table enhanced from 14 to 56 cm per year and the maximum being in Moga (0.92 m), Sangrur (0.69 m) and Patiala (0.68 m). He told that as many as 137 blocks of Punjab are over exploited. Another dimension highlighted by Dr. Singh was that with deepening water the chemical environment of the upper layer in terms of pH, alkalinity, etc. is changing with serious implications. He delved on the scenario with respect of fluorides, selenium and arsenic in south-western, central and certain hot spots in Punjab. Discussing the current scenario of water quality and quantity, in relation to civic and agricultural use, Dr. Singh said that the focus should be laid on water conservation, rainwater harvesting and demand management. The academia can play a better role in propagating the message of water saving so that the benefit percolates down to people.

Dr. P.R.Bhatnagar, Project Coordinator of All India Coordinated Research Project in Application of Plastic in Agriculture at CIPHET, discuss ways and means for enhancing water productivity through multiple uses at different scales. The Presiding Officer, Dr. P.P.S.Lubana, Dean, COAET, shared his views on water saving and highlighted that PAU holds training programmes for the benefit of farmers where useful tips to save water through using micro-irrigation systems are given. Earlier, Dr. A.K.Jain, Head, Department of Soil and Water Engineering welcomed the Chief Guest, dignitaries and other participants.
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