BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has piloted multiple projects to measure the efficiency of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other advanced computer technologies for optimising use of water resources to help farmers and strengthen disaster preparedness.
Addressing a workshop on ‘Introduction of Best Practices in Data Management and Digitisation for Water Resources Monitoring using AI’, jointly organised by the State Water Informatics Centre (SWIC) and IIT Bhubaneswar, development commissioner and additional chief secretary Water Resources Anu Garg said digitisation, data management and AI are now playing an important role in efficient water management.
Garg said while the government has taken up various initiatives in collaboration with different agencies for judicious use of water, it has also given stress to ‘good governance and IT initiatives’ in its vision document to make the system more robust. Director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management (ICAR-IIWM), Bhubaneswar Arjamadutta Sarangi said the Institute is working with the Water Resources department to bring cutting-edge solutions to water management using AI and other advanced tools and technology.
Different water management devices are being tested on a pilot basis in Phulnakhara, Mendhasala and Darpanpur in the Capital region to help farmers deal with the problem of water overuse.
“We are are trying to gather data from sensor-based devices and analyse it using AI and other fusion models. If the test is found to be successful and the farmers find the devices and technology to be useful, the project will be expanded to other areas of the state,” Sarangi said.
Associate professor of School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences at IIT Bhubaneswar Sandeep Pattnaik said researchers of the institute have already found effective ways of predicting rainfall at district scale as well as monsoon depression in the Bay of Bengal with more accuracy using AI and other advanced models.