0
0
Pune– The 29th International Conference on “Hydraulics, Water Resources, River and Coastal Engineering” (HYDRO 2024 International) was inaugurated today at the Central Water & Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune. Organized in collaboration with the Indian Society for Hydraulics (ISH), the three-day event from December 18-20, 2024, focuses on sustainable water resource management, hydropower development, and technological advancements in hydraulics.
Honorable Minister Shri C.R. Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti, inaugurated the event via video message, highlighting CWPRS’s contributions to national projects such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and Atal Bhoojan Yojna.
Dr. R.S. Kankara, Director of CWPRS, opened the conference by emphasizing CWPRS’s century-long legacy of delivering innovative solutions in river management, dam safety, and coastal protection. He also highlighted ongoing projects such as the Polavaram and Kalpasar projects and introduced the conference’s themes, which include climate change impacts, hydroinformatics, and sustainable engineering solutions.
The event features the participation of 330 researchers and students presenting their work across five parallel sessions, along with a special Hydro-Hackathon by the IAHR Young Professionals Network.
Prominent speakers included Prof. H.L. Tiwari, Vice President of ISH, who discussed the importance of fostering innovation in hydraulics through conferences and workshops. Awards like the ISH Lifetime Achievement Award and ISH Best Ph.D. Thesis Award were also presented.
Shri J. Chandrashekhar Iyer, former Chairman of the Central Water Commission, highlighted the importance of addressing real-world water sector challenges, such as glacial lake outburst floods, and the aging infrastructure of dams.
Messages from dignitaries, including Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, emphasized the conference’s role in fostering collaboration and addressing issues like rapid urbanization, climate change, and increasing water demands.
Key publications, including the HYDRO 2024 souvenir, SED compendium, and a revamped CWPRS website, were launched during the inauguration.
The conference promises a dynamic exchange of ideas through lectures, paper presentations, and interactive sessions, setting the stage for actionable recommendations to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
CWPRS continues its legacy of excellence, leading efforts to advance innovative and eco-friendly solutions for water resource management in the face of climate challenges.
