Date | 05.02.2025:
As part of the institute’s ongoing centenary celebrations, the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, organized a “3-Day Urban Waters Forum’s 4th Annual Workshop Focus on Small Urban Centres” and was successfully inaugurated on 5th February 2025 at I2H Building, IIT(ISM), Dhanbad. The workshop was organized in collaboration with WIPRO Foundation Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM) Biome Trust, Megh Pyne Abhiyan and EIACP Programme Centre (RP) as the organizing partner.
The event was graced by Chief Guest - Prof. Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy Director, IIT(ISM) Dhanbad; Guest of Honour - Shri Raviraj Sharma, JAS, Dhanbad Municipal Commissioner; Dr Himanshu Kulkarni, ACWADAM; Mr. Eklavya Prasad, Megh Pyne Abhiyan; Prof. Alok Sinha, HOD, Dept. of ESE & Coordinator, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad; and Prof. Biswajit Paul, Head, Centre for Mining Environment, IIT(ISM) & Workshop Convener.
The event began with welcoming of the Dignitaries to the dais with flower bouquets followed by the traditional lamp lighting ceremony. After the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, Prof. Biswajit Paul, Workshop Convener, warmly welcomed all the Esteemed Guest, attendees and participants, and provided an insightful introduction to the workshop's objectives.
This was followed by an address by Prof. Alok Sinha, Head of the Department of ESE and Coordinator of EIACP (PC-RP) at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. In his speech, Prof. Sinha elaborated on the department's ongoing initiatives and achievements in advancing research on rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge and restoration techniques. Prof. Sinha emphasized the vision behind hosting such multidisciplinary workshops, highlighting the department’s dedication to fostering research across multiple areas. Additionally, Prof. Sinha underscored the department’s alignment with the Mission LiFE campaign and the various awareness activities undertaken by the EIACP Programme Centre (RP) at Department of ESE, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.
The 3-Day Urban Waters Forum’s 4th Annual Workshop addresses the Water Challenges in Smaller Urban Centres. Water issues in smaller urban centres demand urgent attention due to their unique challenges in the context of rapid urbanisation and growth. While larger cities dominate discussions on urban water management, smaller urban centres, critical to regional development, face equally severe or even more acute water-related problems. These challenges are distinct from those of larger cities, require a targeted and systematic approach to ensure sustainability and resilience. This workshop aims to bridge this gap by focusing on these urban centres. The forum will: Encourage Policy Dialogue, Foster Contextual Solutions, Promote Collaborative Action, Recognising and addressing the water challenges of smaller urban centres for ensuring that the broader goals of urban resilience and environmental stewardship are met across eastern India.
The event hosted about 65 invited participants including, water practitioners, government officials, people from industry and academia, CSR sponsors, research scholars, students, journalists and environmental groups. The programme included a question-and-answer session involving the audience, guests, and experts.
The inauguration concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. Eklavya Prasad, Megh Pyne Abhiyan expressing gratitude to the dignitaries, participants, organizing team, media & Press and collaborators for their contributions to the workshop's success. The event ended by felicitation of Chief Guest - Prof. Dheeraj Kumar (Dy. Director, IIT-ISM Dhanbad) by Mr Eklavya Prasad (Megh Pyne Abhiyan); followed by felicitation of Dr. Himanshu Kulkarni (ACWADAM) by Prof Alok Sinha (HOD/ESE & Coordinator, EIACP (PC-RP), IIT-ISM Dhanbad); felicitation of Prof. Alok Sinha, HOD/ESE by Mr. Eklabya Prasad and felicitation of Mr. Eklabya Prasad by Prof Biswajit Paul (Head, CME, IIT-ISM Dhanbad & Workshop Convener). At the end of the inaugural session, a group photograph was taken, capturing the memorable beginning of this 3-Days Workshop.
Workshop Brochure
Glimpses of Inaugural Ceremony of 3-Day Urban Waters Forum’s 4th Annual Workshop " held on 05.02.2025.
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'Urban Waters' is a Wipro Foundation program. It brings together stakeholders from water-stressed cities in India. The goal is to support the implementation of participatory water management practices.
The fourth edition of Urban Waters Forum was held during February 5-7, 2025, at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. The event brought together 65+ participants. They belonged to academia, civil society organizations and journalism. This year, we turned our focus on small towns of India, where much of India’s growth is expected to occur in the coming years. Here, issues of demand and supply, wastewater management, and overall institutional capacities will be crucial to address.
The city of Dhanbad, given its success in demonstrating water security in low-income neighborhoods, was an ideal choice to host the forum this year. Discussions emphasized the critical role of management of groundwater and shallow aquifers in strengthening urban water supply systems in small towns, especially those in Eastern India. The event concluded with discussions on the way forward in urban water management and governance. These emphasized the need to bridge gaps in infrastructure, policy, and community engagement to integrate sustainable water solutions in India's small towns.
Participants visited Tata Steel's Jamadoba plant where innovative water reclamation practices are followed. The water treatment plant treats water from coal mines for consumption in its employee colonies, showcasing an example of industrial water reuse. Participants also got a chance to visit three Shallow Aquifer Management (SAM) pilot sites selected under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) initiative, and led by National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
(Source: LinkedIn Page - Wipro Foundation)