Solan: In order to create awareness on the importance of water and increase efforts towards its conservation, the department of Soil Science and Water Management of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry celebrated World Water Day at the campus on Friday. The department organized several informative lectures which were attended by 148 students of various disciplines along with the faculty and staff of the department.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr ML Verma, HOD Department of Soil Science and Water Management informed that since the 1993 World Water Day is being celebrated every year to draw attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. He said that the theme for this year’s World Water Day was Water for Peace.
He said that sustainable water management generates a plethora of benefits to individuals and communities, including health, food and energy security, protection from natural hazards, education, improved living standards and employment, economic development and a variety of ecosystem services. It is through these benefits that water leads to prosperity and equitable sharing of these benefits promotes peace.
Water conservation measures, precision farming, rain water harvesting, lifestyle changes, water in agriculture were some of the topics covered by the experts during the event. An expert lecture on automation and drip irrigation was given by an expert from Netafin while Dr Ghanshyam Aggarwal and other scientists from the department also addressed the students on different topics related to conservation, efficient use and agriculture. Students and staff were given practical demonstrations on farm water conservation techniques, water harvesting structures, precision farming models, drip irrigation technique, sprinkler irrigation and different kinds of mulching.