Central Ground Water Board holds workshop in Kohima on aquifer mapping and groundwater management plans.
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DIMAPUR — A district- level workshop on “Dissemination of ground water data, aquifer mapping and groundwater management plans of CGWB” was organised by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), North Eastern Region, Guwahati, Ministry of Jal Shakti, at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, on Tuesday.
Addressing as the special guest, Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, B Henok Buchem welcomed the regional director, chief engineer and the team of scientists and resource persons from CGWB, along with officers from various departments, a DIPR report stated.
The DC stated that the Central Ground Water Board is the national apex agency mandated to provide scientific inputs for management, exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation and regulation of groundwater resources in the country.
He said the workshop aims to disseminate findings of the National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM) studies, create awareness on groundwater management and quality issues, highlight successful case studies and share information on schemes under the Ministry of Jal Shakti applicable to the district.
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Stating that groundwater management is a key indicator of sustainable development, especially in the context of Viksit Bharat 2047 and Sustainable Development Goals 2030, Buchem emphasised the need to translate scientific data into informed policies and tangible programmes.
He pointed out that Kohima faces excess water during monsoon and scarcity during lean seasons, and called upon departments to utilise the scientific inputs effectively.
He also informed that departments attending the workshop would be asked to submit recommendations so that a comprehensive proposal can be forwarded to the state government.
Regional Director, CGWB, NER, Tapan Chakraborty, said the board has been working in the North East for many years and has undertaken groundwater exploration activities in the region, particularly in Dimapur district.
He stated that earlier greater emphasis was given to groundwater in the plains, but under the National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM), now in its 2.0 phase, hill areas are also being given due importance.
He highlighted that in hill states, people largely depend on springs and streams, and studies have been conducted in Kohima to assess spring shed management and water scarcity issues.
Chakraborty stressed the importance of water level and water quality monitoring and urged stakeholders to integrate CGWB data for effective planning. He encouraged interactive discussions and suggestions from participants.
Guest of honour and Chief Engineer of Water Resources department, Nagaland, Thepfusalie Guozi, expressed appreciation to the CGWB for organising the workshop.
He observed that Nagaland is blessed with abundant freshwater resources from streams, which are rich in essential minerals.
However, he noted that many natural water sources are now drying up or getting polluted. Guozi emphasised the need to restore and manage natural resources sustainably for future generations.
Stating that groundwater accounts for nearly 30 per cent of freshwater resources, he said it must be utilised optimally as it is not an infinite resource.
In the technical session, Anenuo Pienyu, Scientist-C, CGWB, State Unit Office, Shillong, presented the findings of aquifer mapping and spring shed management studies in Kohima district.
The activities and mandates of CGWB were also highlighted by Dr. SS Singh, Scientist- D, CGWB, NER, Guwahati.
The workshop included demonstration of data access through web portals and GIS tools such as cgwbdata.gov.in, IN-GRESS and IndiaWRIS, followed by discussion, feedback and question-answer sessions to understand local-level data requirements.
It was informed that CGWB, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti functions as the national apex agency with 18 regional offices across the country, supported by engineering divisions and state unit offices.
In the North East, the regional office is located at Guwahati, Assam.
“The workshop aimed at creating awareness among government officials, engineers, scientists, academicians and other stakeholders to promote effective utilisation of groundwater data for sustainable governance and management,” the report added.