National Institute of Technology

Apr 04, 2024

NIT Calicut and IIT Palakkad to form Centres for Periyar River

The MoA was signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakthi, Govt. of India, and NITC and IITP at New Delhi in the presence of Shri. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister for Jal Shakthi, Govt. of India, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakthi, Mr. G. Asok Kumar, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Prof. Vinod Tare, Founding Head, cGanga (Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies), IIT Kanpur, and the Directors of IITs/ NITs identified as participating Institutes.

These studies will be carried out following the activities undertaken by the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) set up at IIT Kanpur. cGanga provides continual scientific support to the Central and State Governments in the dynamic evolution and implementation of the Ganga River Basin Management Plan, which among other things, envisages cleaning up the River Ganga.

The Centre will advise and provide continual scientific support to the Government, said Prof. Prasad Krishna, Director of NITC. The integrated river basin management of River Periyar will also focus on the restoration and maintenance of the wholesomeness of the river system and the improvement of its ecological health, he added.

The Centre will work to address conflicts of interest in how people use land and water in a river basin. The Centre will also strive to conserve natural resources like soil, water, energy, plants, and animals while meeting the needs of the growing population, infrastructure, industry, and farming.

"Our team plans to protect the fundamental aspects of the river by maintaining healthy river flow, preventing pollution, connecting different parts of the river, providing enough room for important river activities, and keeping the ecological balance intact," said Dr. Santosh G Thampi, Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering and the officiating officer from NITC. The Centre for Periyar River Basin Management Studies will also collect and organise information to develop and update the Periyar River Basin Management Plan, he added.

The plan prepared by the team will outline specific projects to address various priorities, policies, and management actions, along with their financial implications. Action plans detailing short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures for implementation will be included in the management plan assessing the financial, social, economic, and environmental effects of these interventions, with measurable indicators to track their positive impact on the river system.

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