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DEPARTMENT OF SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION, PUNJAB |
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DEPARTMENT OF SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION, PUNJAB |
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SEMINAR DATED 27 FEB 2009
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State Level Seminar on "Future Strategies for Conservation and Management of Natural Resources" held on dated 27th February, 2009 at Soil Conservation Complex, Mohali. The Department of Soil & Water Conservation Punjab in collaboration with the Punjab State Land Use Board organized a State Level Seminar on "Future Strategies for Conservation & Management of Natural Resources" on dated 27/02/2009 at Soil Conservation Complex, Phase-6, Mohali. Er BS Sidhu Director of Agriculture Punjab was the Guest of Honor along with other dignitaries like Sh. JS Aulakh, Deputy Secretary Agriculture, Dr. VN Sharda, Director Central Soil & Water Conservation Research & Training Institute (CSWCRTI) Dehradun, Sh. Sushil Gupta, Regional Director Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Dr. PK Sharma Director, Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC) and Sh Shamsher Singh, Sr. Vice-President, Soil Conservation Society of India (SCSI). More 250 Officers, Scientists, Professionals & Academicians were present at the event. Inaugural Session Sh. Anil Kumar Sondhi, Chief Conservator of Soils, Punjab highlighted the theme and the importance of organizing this event. He gave a detailed presentation on the state of natural resources as well as the past & present soil & water conservation activities of the department. He also proposed a Comprehensive Strategic Plan required to be implemented in the next 10 years for conservation & management of resources in Punjab. Dr. VN Sharda, Director CSWCRTI Dehradun in his Key Note Address, pointed out that the agriculture production & productivity are directly related to soil fertility and availability of irrigation water. After giving a detailed presentation on the status of soil & water resources at National level and in Punjab state, he proposed the need of Corporate Farming, Setting up of Special Agriculture Zones (SAZ), Regulation of Change of Land Use (CLU) for Integrated Land Use Planning in Punjab. He also advocated the inclusion of Soil health in the National Land Use Policy. After a brief address of Sh. JS Aulakh, Deputy Secretary Agriculture, Sh. Vikram Singh Jassi, Director State Land Use Board (SLUB) Punjab presented the Vote of Thanks to the Chair marking the end of the Inaugural Session. 1st Technical Session Dr. SS Grewal, Director (Retd.), Research Station, Ballowal Saunkri & President SPACE pointed out that People's Participation is a must for the success of various soil & water conservation & management programmes. Dr. P K Sharma, Director Remote Sensing Punjab informed the delegates that GIS can immensely help in chalking out short-term & long-term strategies & programmes for soil & water conservation. Dr. S S Kukal, Department of Soils, PAU Ludhiana advocated the need of renovation/ desiltation of the silted-up gully control structures in kandi area. Dr. Pawan Sharma CSWCRTI, Chandigarh Centre presented her views on the benefits of Vermi-compost, Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Bio-fertilizers in improving the soil structure. Dr. M S Hadda, Department of Soils, PAU Ludhiana read a Paper on 'Rainwater Harvesting Technologies suitable for agro-systems of rain-fed submontane region for improving productivity potential'. 2nd Technical Session Dr. Rajan Aggarwal, Deptt of Soil Water Engineering, PAU, Ludhiana presented the role of Zero-till, Laser Leveler & other on-farm practices in conserving soil & water resources. Dr. Harmanjit Singh, Department of Soils, PAU Ludhiana presented his views on 'Spatial Variability in Ground Water Table Fluctuations in Central & South-Western Zones of Punjab'. Sh. Sushil Gupta, Regional Director, Central Ground Water Board briefed on various types of Artificial Recharge Structures and stressed on the need of a separate department for managing ground water resource in Punjab state. Dr. Sharmistha Pal, CSWCRTI, Chandigarh Centre was of the view that Practices like Mulching, Micro irrigation, Suitable crop cultivation, Weather forecasting etc. can help in improving Water use Efficiency in agriculture. Dr. K G Singh, Deptt of Soil Water Engineering, PAU, Ludhiana emphasized on the suitability & application procedure of granular fertilizers through Drip Irrigation system. 3rd Technical Session Sh. Shamsher Singh, Add Commissioner (Retd) & Sr. Vice President SCSI presented his views on management of degraded lands & depleting water resource in India and Punjab state. Dr. S S Thakur, Deptt of Farm Power Machinery, PAU, Ludhiana gave a detailed presentation on Laser Leveling. Er. Nidhi Batta, Soil Conservation Officer, Ludhiana laid stress on the need of Integrated Water Management especially the utilization of Poor quality underground water for irrigation either by blending it with good quality canal water or through cyclic use of poor & good quality water. She was also of the view that poor quality water can be applied in a better way through a Drip Irrigation system. Sh. PRB Sunder Rao, Manager Design & Product Development, M/s NETAFIM Irrigation (P) Ltd. introduced a Low Pressure Drip System developed by his company that works successfully through Siphon with no need of a Pumping system. A Plenary Session was held after the above Technical Sessions in which a number of recommendations were deduced after detailed discussions on the subject of the Seminar. The Seminar ended with the distribution of Mementos & Certificates to the Speakers & Eminent guests followed by the Release of a publication of the Department of Soil & Water conservation namely 'GIVING BACK TO SOIL –Four decades of engineering – a silent revolution'.
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State Level Seminar on "Future Strategies for Conservation and Management of Natural Resources" held on dated 27th February, 2009 at Soil Conservation Complex, Mohali. The One-day Seminar had 3 Technical Sessions with 15 Paper Presentations on the above subject given by professionals of various departments, research institutes, NGOs & companies. At the Plenary Session at the end of the Seminar, the following recommendations emerged: 1) Comprehensive Strategic Plan in Punjab on following lines: (a) Conservation & Management of Soils Proposed Future Strategies • Preventing soil erosion in Sub-mountainous, ravenous & gullied lands. • Rejuvenating the Sick & fatigued soils with balanced use of Micro-nutrients • Improving soil structure and Increasing Productivity from degraded soils like Water-logged & Salt-affected soils. Measures proposed for the next 10 years • Watershed Development works in 1,00,000 Ha. of sub-mountainous area • Wasteland Development works in 50,000 Ha. of ravenous, gullied & water-logged areas • Soil Testing & replenishment of Micro & Micro nutrients in 1,00,000 Ha. • Reclamation of 10,000 ha. of salt-affected & special problematic soils. (b) Conservation & Management of Water Proposed Future Strategies • Controlling the Use of underground water resource • Enhancing On-farm Water use Efficiency • Rainwater & Base-flow Harvesting • Ground water recharging- Natural & Artificial Measures proposed for the next 10 years • Legislation for controlled use of underground water • Micro Irrigation on 50,000 ha. • UGPS for individual farmers on 50,000 ha. • 500 Nos. Community UGPS Projects. • Laser Leveling on 1,00,000 ha. • 500 Nos. Rainwater Harvesting Structures in Kandi Area • 500 Nos. Projects of Lift irrigation/ Perennial Flow tapping in Kandi Area • 500 Nos. Community Water Storage Tanks in South-western districts. • 2000 Nos. Individual Farm Water Storage Tanks • 500 Nos. Solar Pumps. • 2000 Nos. Projects of Artificial Roof-top Recharging • 1000 Nos. Village Ponds & Water Bodies • Utilization of treated sullage water for irrigation in 20 blocks
2) Corporate Farming, Setting up of Special Agriculture Zones (SAZ), Regulation of Change of Land Use (CLU) for Integrated Land Use Planning and Inclusion of Soil health in the Land Use Policy proposed to be formulated. 3) Large-scale use of GIS in chalking out short-term & long-term strategies & programmes. 4) Renovation/ Desiltation of the silted-up soil & water conservation structures installed in the kandi area. 5) Propagation of Organic farming using Vermi-compost, Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Bio-fertilizers etc. 6) Need of utilizing Poor quality underground water for irrigation rather than avoiding the same.
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