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International Seminar on Sustainable Water Management

In mid-September 2004 Harvest along with our sister organization, the Auroville Centre for Scientific Research (CSR), organized a three-day seminar on sustainable water resource management, called ‘Towards a Sustainable Water Resource Management for Auroville and it's Bioregion”. The seminar was not only endorsed by UNESCO under its HELP (Hydrology for Environment, Life and Policy) programme, but also received an inspiring message from the President of India who referred to Auroville as ‘one of India's spiritual gifts to the whole world' and expressed his confidence that Auroville, in cooperation with other organizations, will be able to find a lasting solution to the water problems of the region.

Government representatives, stakeholders, scientists, technical and legal experts from India, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Israel came together to share experiences and proposals about how to remedy, develop and sustain water management practices with a common vision and approach. The conference dealt with topics such as sharing of information with the public, water issues linked to the bioregion, solutions for sufficient water supply for the Matrimandir Lake, the integration of the larger area with the township. Over three days, a total of 27 scientific papers were presented. A monograph of this event will be published soon.

 

Seminar Recommendations

  1. The Seminar strongly recommended preparation of a 20 year INTEGRATED WATER MANGEMENT PLAN for Auroville and its bioregion in collaboration with State Governments of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry .
  2. A Detailed WATER BALANCE STUDY and simulation studies need to be done to assess the current and future demand / supply conditions, and the identification of intensive strategies.
  3. The hydro-geological and land classification studies done so far by Auroville & State Governments need to be completed putting together data from all sources, and predictions made accordingly.
  4. A strong R & D Group to emerge in Auroville, collaboratively with other institutions, in areas of fresh water production by seawater desalination, using renewable energy and recycling of waste water, through specific projects and programs.
  5. The identification of multiple solutions to recharge the ground water and prevent water pollution, and then choosing the best.
  6. Seawater ingress into fresh water aquifers identified as a serious problem in the bioregion and political decisions need to be obtained to protect the region from salinity.
  7. Intense WATER LITERACY DRIVE to be organized as a strong social movement collaboratively with Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry State authorities to alert the population of the dangers of high water consumption and to promote WATER CONSERVATION measures.
  8. Auroville emerge as model centre of its bioregion and set an example for the rest of the country and the world.

 

To contact us

Harvest Centre for Water Resources Management, Naidu House
Kottakarai, Auroville - 605101 Tamil Nadu, India
Telephone: +91 (0) 413 262-2333
Fax: +91 (0) 413 262-2690

E-mail: harvest@auroville.org.in

 

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