Two-day training on mapping of urban water bodies

Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development Department in collaboration with National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) has organised a two-day training programme on Mapping of Urban Water Bodies.

The training programme was inaugurated by Sangramjit Naik, Director Municipal Administration. In his inaugural address Naik told on the importance of the programme for the State and its implementation as a structured citizen-led initiative.

He elaborated how the collective synergy between the elected representatives, women self-help groups, municipal engineers and student interns is key to its successful implementation.

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The corporators/councillors, ward officers, municipal engineers, city mission managers, community organisers and TULIP interns are being trained for the pilot-phase. Sagarika Patnaik, special secretary-cum-state AMRUT mission director, Sarada Prasad Panda, joint secretary-cum-project director, SUDA also spoke on the occasion.

They highlighted the values and technical functions of the urban wetlands and water bodies, also stressed upon community-led restoration strategies to restore, preserve, reclaim and rejuvenate the urban water bodies.

Over 40 officials from Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Municipal Corporation, Parlakhemundi Municipality, Jajpur Municipality, Paradeep Municipality, Athamallik NAC, Boudhgarh NAC, Chikiti NAC and Digapahandi NAC, took part in the training which was held at the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA).

Bhakta Kabi Das, additional secretary-cum-chief engineer, H&UDD, Anup Das Sr. scientist (retd), State Ground Water Development Board and a group of high-level experts from National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) facilitated the training.