State level workshop on 'Mainstreaming Rainwater Harvesting'

CSE is organising a state level workshop on 'Mainstreaming Rainwater Harvesting' between  May 9-10, 2013, at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP). The workshop is a part of various activities under Key Resource Centre (KRC) supported by Ministry of Drinking Water, Government of India.

In this two day workshop the focus will be on source sustainability for drinking water supply in rural areas through rainwater harvesting. The drinking water source in the rural area depends heavily on groundwater. According Central Groundwater Board report, seventy per cent of the groundwater in the state has already been developed. Non-availability and poor quality are two major problems that haunt the groundwater sector in UP.

For instance, non-availability is a major problem in certain areas of Bundelkhand. At the same time, availability is hardly a problem in eastern UP, but quality of groundwater is a major issue in the region. First, the restoration of depleted and contaminated aquifer takes a long time as well as is a costly. Second, groundwater is the major source of drinking water in the rural areas. Both quantity as well as quality of groundwater needs to be addressed.  Need is to control or regulate groundwater use and to take measures for its conservation. The Uttar Pradesh groundwater conservation, protection and development (management, control and regulation) bill, 2010 is a way forward in this regard.

The technical sessions in the workshop will focus on existing and upcoming policy reforms, the groundwater scenario and status of rainwater harvesting (RWH) in rural areas including operation and maintenance as well as economics of implementing the system. Special focus will be on the best management practices mainstreaming RWH in rural drinking water supply. The sessions will be followed by a panel discussion. The panel comprising of eminent stakeholders will deliberate on potential of rainwater harvesting as well as barriers in implementation of RWH as sustainable source of drinking water in rural areas. The existing policies and laws of groundwater will also be discussed.

Target audience:

All the stake holders involved in policy advocacy in rural water supply (PHED Engineers, PRI representatives, practitioners, NGOs, researchers, academicians and media) can apply for registration.

Registration will be only on invitation.

We are also inviting abstracts (for paper and/or poster presentations) from the stakeholders on topics related to "Mainstreaming Rainwater harvesting". Last date for sending in abstracts is April 10, 2013. The acceptance of the abstracts will be intimated within seven days after receipt of the abstracts. The abstracts can be in Hindi or English (with words not more than 200 words).

Venue: Lucknow
Dates: May 9-10, 2013

Last date of applying: April 20, 2013

For further information:

Md. Shehfar
Research Associate
Water Programme
Email: shehfar@cseindia.org
Mobile: +91-9911828639