CWC and IIT Roorkee Forge Pioneering Partnership for Water Resources and Urban Flood Management
New Delhi, India – 12 June 2024 – On a momentous day, two significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee). These MoUs aim to address critical challenges in Water Resources Management and Urban Flooding, leveraging the combined expertise of both institutions.
The agreements were signed by Shri Kushvinder Vohra, Chairman, CWC, and Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, in the presence of key officials and dignitaries from both organizations. The collaboration underscores a mutual commitment to develop innovative solutions for efficient water management and urban flood resilience.
The collaboration between the Central Water Commission (CWC) and IIT Roorkee in Water Resources Management will address critical areas such as irrigation efficiency assessment with actionable suggestions for improvement, comprehensive water accounting studies, and detailed cropped area mapping under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY). Additionally, the partnership will develop a certificate program for Water Auditors and assess the impact of climate change on the water resources sector. These initiatives align with government efforts to enhance water management practices and bolster agricultural productivity. Leveraging IIT Roorkee’s 176-year legacy of excellence and innovation in technological education and research, this collaboration aims to deliver robust, data-driven solutions that will benefit society by ensuring sustainable water resource management and resilience against environmental challenges.
The collaboration between the Central Water Commission (CWC) and IIT Roorkee in Urban Flooding encompasses pivotal areas such as urban flood forecasting, numerical urban flood inundation and hazard mapping, and urban flood risk management. This partnership also focuses on leveraging data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning for precise flood susceptibility mapping in urban areas and developing robust urban flood resilience mechanisms. These efforts align with government initiatives to enhance urban infrastructure and disaster preparedness. With its excellence in technological education and research, IIT Roorkee brings unparalleled expertise to this collaboration, promising innovative, data-driven solutions that will significantly benefit society by improving urban flood management practices and safeguarding communities against the increasing threat of urban flooding.
Reflecting on the significance of the MoUs, Prof. Ashish Pandey, Bharat Singh Chair Professor for Water Resources (MoJS, DoWR, GR&RD, GOI), Department of Water Resources Development and Management said, “expertise of water resources management of IIT Roorkee in water sector may be helpful in Irrigation efficiency assessment, Water accounting studies, training for Water Auditors and Impact of climate change on the Water Resources Sector. It will also promote collaboration in Urban Flood Forecasting studies employing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Flood susceptibility mapping in Urban areas. Collaborating with Central Water Commission and leveraging the expertise of IIT Roorkee, we can foster a culture of innovation that drives efficient water resources management”.
Shri Kushvinder Vohra, Chairman, Central Water Commission, remarked, “These MoUs with IIT Roorkee mark a significant advancement in our efforts to manage water resources and urban flooding effectively. By combining CWC’s extensive experience in water resources management with IIT Roorkee’s cutting-edge research capabilities, we aim to develop solutions that will benefit society and improve resilience against natural disasters.”
Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, added, “We are excited to collaborate with the Central Water Commission on these crucial issues. Our interdisciplinary research approach, coupled with the practical insights provided by CWC, will enable us to create robust, data-driven strategies for water management and urban flood mitigation. This collaboration highlights our commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit and advancing the nation’s preparedness against environmental challenges.”
IIT Roorkee, one of the foremost institutes of national importance in India’s higher technological education and engineering, is dedicated to fostering the growth of intellectually capable, innovative, and entrepreneurial professionals. Through this collaboration, IIT Roorkee aims to contribute significantly to developing science and technology, benefiting the nation’s welfare and humankind.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) and IIT Roorkee have agreed to work together for five years, potentially longer, to improve water management and urban flood control in India. They will focus on key areas like making irrigation more efficient, studying water usage, mapping crop areas, and understanding the effects of climate change. They will also work on predicting urban floods, mapping flood risks, and using advanced technology to make cities more resilient to flooding. This partnership aims to support government initiatives and use IIT Roorkee’s expertise to create solutions that benefit society by better managing water resources and protecting against floods.
