Kozhikode: Third International Geography Congress has begun at Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) in Kozhikode. The focal theme of the three-day International Congress is ‘Sustainable Natural Resources Management under Changing Climatic Scenarios.’ The event aims to highlight the various environmental problems associated with development and management scenarios. 350 delegates from India and abroad including geographers, hydrologists, academicians, researchers, technologists, engineers, environmentalists, planners, policy makers, and social workers are participating in the Congress. During the deliberations, 150 papers will be presented on different topics. 

K. Sankaranarayanan, the Governor of Maharashtra inaugurated the Congress.

He has said that the age old beautiful relationship between man and Nature is weakening as societies develop and population grows. Time has come to draw deep inspiration from this tradition for a sustainable future-he pointed out.

Sankaranarayanan noted that the first major challenge is ensuring food security for the growing population and the second one is energy security.

“Our population has increased three-folds in the last six decades, but our natural resources have not increased. Far from it, our area under cultivation has been shrinking, and so is the forest cover. Water tables are falling due to indiscriminate extraction of water for industrial purpose, farming and domestic consumption.’ - he said. Sankaranarayanan underscored the responsibility of the present generation to ensure the equitable, efficient and eco-friendly use of natural resources. According to him there is no alternative to reorient our development processes and priorities to make them sustainable. 

Dr C T S Nair, Executive Vice President, Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment and Principal Secretary, Science and Technology Department, presided over the function.

Dr S M Rao, Chairman, Research Council of CWRDM, released the ‘Micro-watershed Maps of Kerala’ by handing a copy to Dr Nivedita P Haran, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department.

The Governor released the abstract volume of the Congress by giving a copy to Prof. Yukio Himiyama of Hokkaido University, Japan. Prof. (Dr) K V Jayakumar, Executive Director, CWRDM, and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Congress, Dr M D Nandeshwar, Scientist, CWRDM, and General Convener of the Congress, Dr S C Rai, Secretary General, NAGI, Dr S N Das, Chief Soil Survey Officer, Soil and Land Use Survey of India, and Dr C Unnikrishnan Warrier, Scientist, CWRDM, spoke. 

 Dr K Karunakaran, Vice Chancellor, Anna University of Technology, Coimbatore, Prof. G Bellezza, Vice President, International Geographical Union, Italy, Prof. Y G Joshi, President (Elect), NAGI, Dr P Nag, Director, National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation, Government of India, Prof. Yukio Himiayama, Institute of Geography, Hokkaido University of Education, Japan, and Dr Srikumar Chatopadyay, Scientist, Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram made invited lectures. Dr Nivedita P Haran, Additional Chief Secretary, was the chairperson, and Shri N K Joseph, Scientist, CWRDM, was the Co-chairperson.

Photo Gallery: Courtesy : CWRDM

K.Sankara Narayanan, the Governor of Maharashtra inaugurates Third International Geography Congress at CWRDM in Kozhikode

The delegates at CWRDM

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