Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (CEWRM), Department of Civil Engineering, Birla
Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Hyderabad campus organized a National Conference
on Sustainable Water Resources Planning, Management and Impact of Climate Change during April 5-6,
2013 with an objective to reduce the existing gap between ‘knowledge & action’ research and action in
water management and impact of climate change. The conference was co-sponsored by Industrial
Engineering Instruments, Bangalore; Adepto Geoinformatics Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad; State Bank of
Hyderabad; Ontrack Energy Systems, Hyderabad; B & B Associates, Hyderabad; DHI (India) Water and
Environment Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi; WAPCOS Ltd; Academy of Design and Architecture, Hyderabad. The
two day conference was platform of eminent academicians, engineers, administrators and researchers
shared and discussed their ideas and issues pertaining to water resources sustainability and impact of
climatic change. Conference started with a welcome address by Prof K.Srinivasa Raju, Organizing
Secretary of the Conference. He briefly introduced the theme of the Conference and highlights the need
of organizing such scientific brain storming event in present scenario. Prof V.S. Rao, Director, BITS-PilaniHyderabad Campus, emphasized the importance of water management and stressed on the focused
research in this direction. Dr Chandu Parimi, Head, Department of Civil Engineering introduced the
activities of Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management and Department of Civil Engineering
and gave glimpse on future course of action of CEWRM. Inaugural function was held in presence of
Prof V. Malakonda Reddy, renowned academician and founder Secretary of the Chaitanya Bharathi
Education Society andfirst Principal of Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology as Chief Guest,
Director, BITS-Pilani, Chairman CEWRM and many other eminent scientists. Chief Guest Prof.
Malakonda appreciated the efforts of CEWRM and urged the researchers to find the solutions at the
grass root level. Prof A.Vasan, Department of Civil Engineering presented the vote of thanks.
Two invited sessions covering five invited lectures on Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change: Scale Issues
and Uncertainties by Prof. P. P. Mujumdar, IISc, Bangalore; Assessment of Severe Drought and Wet
Events Over India in A Future Climate Using A Nested Bias Correction Approach by Prof. D. Nagesh
Kumar, IISc, Bangalore; Holistic Approach and Ecological Management Practices for Mitigating Urban
Flood Hazard Considering Climate Change Scenario by Prof. Arup Kumar Sarma, IIT Guwahati; Adaptive
and Hierarchical Simulation-Optimization Models in Water Resources Planning and Management
K.Srinivasan, IIT Chennai; Neural Network Based Flood Forecasting: A Method to Quantify Uncertainty in
Model Predictions by K.P. Sudheer, IIT Chennai were arranged.
Nine technical sessions covering themes such as Systems Approach to Hydrological Problems and
Modeling, Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources, Water Quality, Waste Water Treatment &
Management, Application of Fuzzy Logic and Evolutionary Algorithms, Ground Water Issues,
Remediation and Modelling, Hydrological Modelling and Newer Technologies, Urban Hydrology and
Flooding, GIS in Water Resources Planning, Rain Water Harvesting and Water Conservation were
arranged.
One brain storming session on Climatic Change and Urban Flooding was arranged in the conference.
Climate Expert from IISc, Bangalore Prof. Majumadar emphasize the need of climate based policy in
urban flood management and stressed the need of more research on climate change. More than 100
delegates from various institutions were participated in the conference across country. Prof K.
Srinivasan of IIT Chennai, Prof P.P. Mujumdar of IISc Bangalore and Prof D. Nagesh Kumar of IISc,
Bangalore delivered the valedictory address and emphasized the need for focused research in Water
and Climatic related themes. Dr Murari R R Varma, Department of Civil Engineering presented the
recommendations of the conference. Prof K.Srinivasa Raju, Organizing Secretary has encapsulated the
outcome of the Conference and concluded the Conference with a vote of thanks.