To tackle the number of issues and challenges emerging in the rural water supply sector in South India, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has identified Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kozhikode,as a Key Resource Centre in the water sector. The Key Resource Centre (KRC) is selected for a period of five years.
“With the selection, the CWRDM has been entrusted with the task of improving the capacity of officials to play their role in the changing environment to manage water supply. It is also necessary to strengthen the capacity of various stakeholders to enable them to shoulder their responsibilities effectively,” said head of water quality division, P S Harikumar.
CWRDM will be the key institution engaged across more than one state in capacity-building, reorientation of various stakeholders, disseminating knowledge and information, documenting best practices, etc. to achieve the sectoral goal of drinking water security in rural regions.
In the first year, CWRDM will organise three training programmes on water resources management and one regional seminar on water quality problems and remedies. The officials with CWRDM say the participants of these programmes will be from various government departments and academic institutions. The focus of the programme will be
on building a multi-level cadre of motivated, skilled and trained personnel in the rural water supply sector.
The first three-day training programme on water resources management will be held at CWRDM from March 12. A total number of 32 participants from in and around the state, including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Pondicherry, will attend the programme. Expert scientists from CWRDM and other departments will handle the training session, which will be coordinated by the water quality division of CWRDM. By organising various programmes on the conservation of water, stakeholders can be equipped to use local knowledge and traditional wisdom in ensuring safe drinking water to all on a long-term basis, they believe.