CHENNAI : Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is hosting the 23rd Congress of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research – Asia and Pacific Division (IAHR-APD 2022) from 14th to 17th December 2022. It is jointly being organized by the Departments of Ocean Engineering and Civil Engineering.
The congress brought together over 30 global experts to work towards conservation and mitigation and cope with the climate change effects on water resources.
The objective is to foster discussion and strengthen connections between experts and policymakers of the World’s scientists, engineers, and researchers and create a virtual think tank for further deep policy analysis, scenario planning, and forecasting on World’s future Water and Ocean conservation and management policy choices.
Participants from about 15 countries took part in this event for knowledge transfer of the engineering know-how in hydro-environmental engineering and research. Prof. S.A.Sannasiraj, Prof. B.S.Murty and Prof. R.Panner Selvam of IIT Madras are the organising secretaries of this prestigious congress. A book on Coasts and Estuaries authored by Prof. V. Sundar, Prof. S.A. Sannasiraj and Prof. K. Murali and published by World Scientific, Singapore was released during the Inauguration.
Addressing the inaugural session of the conference, Shri. Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson of Chennai Port Trust, said, “IIT Madras has worked extensively with the Government to solve problems. In the Kamarajar Port in Ennore where we were establishing a captive jetty for Indian Oil Corporation limited. There were lots of concerns about its location in the harbour. The NTCPWC of IIT Madras, which has a simulator, conducted various simulations in the presence of IOC personnel for various wind speeds, directions, wave heights and IOC, after these simulations got convinced of the location allotted.”
Shri. Sunil Paliwal added, “This is an example where academic has helped to solve problems in the field…. I am sure these deliberations will go a long way in enriching the knowledge of all the participants.”
To encourage student participation in the conference, students were supported to attend through travel grants, complimentary attendance awards, and subsidized registration costs.
Delivering the presidential address, Prof. Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean (Global Engagement), IIT Madras, said, “Conference and getting the best people from all over the world to the campus is an important activity and IIT Madras is a vibrant institution hosting many such conferences… On climate change and sustainability, more than journals and articles, even our lived experiences tells us that things are changing.”
Speaking later, Dr. Gregory Costa, IAHR-APD President, said, “I am certain that this congress, with its research papers and in-depth discussions, will contribute for the advancement of scientific research and communities. The success of any organization or congress revolves around its participants and I thank you for all your participations. ”
The three-day conference comprises two pre-conference workshops, three plenary sessions covering seven keynote speeches delivered by world-renowned scientists and academicians, 20 parallel sessions, two technical tours and social programs. The technical tours include prominent tourist attractions, UNESCO world heritage sites, and major hydraulic structures like Anicut and Dam. Over 120 delegates from across the World are attending the three-day conclave on the theme ‘Water – From Land to Sea – Conservation and Management.’
Highlighting the importance of this conference, Prof. S.A. Sannasiraj, Organizing Secretary of the 23rd Congress of the IAHR-APD, said, “While we address the traditional hydraulics in the deliberation, the highlight of the event is addressing the problems of climate change in water security and flooding and in particular coastal problems too. Further, he said, the role of modern materials such as geotextiles and fibres reinforced systems in various applications of water sector is inevitable”
Two special sessions in relevant topics such as coastal engineering, adaptation strategies due to climate change impacts and surface/ sub-surface hydraulics are organized. Two workshops one on Sustainable Urban Drainage and another on Textile Technology and its Application on coastal and river bank protection, both pertaining to the present-day problems will deliberate and come out specific recommendation for sustainable development and growth. This is the second such event being organised by IIT Madras after the 15th APD-IAHR during August of 2006.
