Vizag to host international irrigation meet in November

Vijayawada: Water resources minister Ambati Rambabu on Thursday announced that Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Department will host the 25th Congress of International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) as well as the 74th meeting of ICID International Executive Council from November 1 to November 8 in Visakhapatnam.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the international meet with the theme "Tackling Water Scarcity in Agriculture" is a joint initiative of the union and state governments. The minister released a brochure on the conference and said special invitations have been sent to President of India Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the conference, which will be attended by ICID delegates from all over the world.

The international meet will discuss how water scarcity in agriculture could be tackled, what sort of



alternative resources can be tapped for irrigated agriculture, on-farm techniques that can increase water productivity, conserving water in irrigation and irrigation systems followed by various countries.

Rambabu said India is hosting this congress after 57 years. About 500 delegates from 80 countries in addition to 700 technical representatives, will be participating in the meet.

ICID vice-president Dr. K Yella Reddy said in Andhra Pradesh, Cumbum Tank in Prakasam district, Kurnool-Cuddapah (KC) Canal, Porumamilla Anantharaja Sagaram Tank in Kadapa district and Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage have received the World Heritage Irrigation Structure Awards.

Dr Yella Reddy disclosed that Prakasam Barrage has been proposed for the World Heritage Irrigation Structure Award this year.