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W
ater
E
ducation
and
I
nstitutional
D
evelopment
techniques, hydrological modelling, soft computing,
water quality modelling, assessment of the impact of
climate change and downscaling of climate data. Similar
efforts are being made by the educational and research
institutions, which are providing continuing educa-
tion and training to the engineers and academicians
of organizations engaged in water resources planning
and development. Some international training courses
are also organized for participants from South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation, African and
Afro-Asian countries. Some of the scientists and engi-
neers receive training from developed Asian, European
and American organizations. Such efforts are leading
to improvements in the capabilities of operational and
research organizations at the centre and in the states in
the water resources sector.
To make the educational and training programmes
more effective, brainstorming sessions, workshops
and seminars should be organized to indentify the
constraints, bottlenecks and difficulties facing field
engineers, practitioners, planners, researchers, academ-
ics and other related professionals in adopting new
and emerging technologies and water cooperation for
solving complex water issues. Modern audio-visual
aids, including videoconferencing facilities, should be
created and effectively used by the various organiza-
tions for training personnel under distance learning
programmes. Large-scale awareness and effective partic-
ipation in water resources management practices must
be encouraged by the creation of public awareness in
local languages and in English. Also, there should be
close interaction and coordination among the various
organizations involved in coordinating educational and
training programmes, in order to avoid the duplication
of efforts in training and capacity building.
water resources projects should be directed to improve knowledge,
attitudes and practices concerning the linkages between health and
hygiene; provide higher water supply service levels; and improve the
environment through safe disposal of human waste based on ethical
concepts of water utilization and water conservation.
Information, education and communication (IEC) activities which
include mass awareness programmes for water conservation, rain-
water harvesting and water quality conservation are being organized
by the various organizations of the Ministry of Water Resources,
Government of India with the active cooperation of various stake-
holders and schoolchildren. Such IEC activities are being especially
organized on the occasions of large gatherings of people, such as
during the
kumbh mela
held at Haridwar in which millions of people
participated. Through such activities the public is becoming aware
of the importance of water and its conservation.
In order to meet the needs of short-term and long-term plans
for water resources planning, development and management in the
country, there is a need to evolve a long-term plan and suitable
mechanism for the education and training of water resources engi-
neers, scientists, observers and technicians, and for strengthening
cooperation among the various institutions and improving individual
communities in real ways. Water education and training imparted
to the field engineers of various state water resources departments
and irrigation departments, as well as the faculties of educational
institutions, is helping to provide well-trained manpower for the
planning, development and management of water resources. It is
facilitating better planning, development and operation of water
resources projects. For example, a DSS (Planning) (DSS (P)) is
being developed by the international DSS (P) consultants for the
identified river basins of the nine states of India with the support
of the World Bank and scientists, and engineers are being trained
on the DSS (P) software for integrated water resources develop-
ment and management. There is active cooperation among some of
the organizations and institutes that are involved in the application
of emerging techniques such as GIS and remote sensing, isotopic
Participants from African countries and faculty of the training course on Project Hydrology
Image: National Institute of Hydrology