Background

Water is among the most precious gifts of the nature to mankind. Benign and life supporting in normal times, menacing during floods, and desperately sought in times of drought, the waters of the rivers, aquifers, springs, lakes, etc., have been part of our daily life. However, with the growing requirements of water for diverse purposes, water is becoming a critical and scarce natural resource and can not be regarded as available in abundance as might had been believed earlier. It is widely recognized that many countries are entering into era of severe water shortage. The increase is not only due to population growth but also due to improved life style of the people.

The dramatic expansion of urbanized areas, which has been witnessed over the last few decades is likely to continue in most countries of the world. Such, often unplanned, growth leading to the emergence of conurbation and mega cities, poses a threat to both the availability and quality of surface and groundwater resources. These threats are both unprecedented and of immense scale when viewed from political, social and economic perspectives.

The International Water Resources Association (IWRA), established in 1972, with its headquarters in USA, has been recognized and respected as a leading advocate in advancing the understanding and management of water resources worldwide. The Geographical Committee of IWRA (India) with its secretariat at the Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP) is representing IWRA, in India, as its Geographical Committee, since 1991.