World Water Day was celebrated at ICAR-CIWA on 22.3.2021 on the theme “Valuing water”. A series of activities were conducted to celebrate the day involving students/ farm women/ scientists/ administrative/ technical staffs, staffs of 13 AICRP (HS) centres spread across India. A quiz competition was conducted involving students of two schools namely Model public school and Govt. Nodal high school, Baramunda Bhubaneswar following COVID guidelines. Five no of groups were formed in Quiz competition and winners are awarded with prizes and certificates. Similarly in ICAR CIWA an essay competition was held among staffs member with the theme “Gender mainstreaming in water management”. All the staff members participated whole heartily and emphasized on women and water issues, watershed management and mitigating global water crisis etc. In afternoon a webinar was organised where about 55 participants actively participated in the celebration programme. Dr. Narayan Sahoo, Eminent Expert (Water management) emphasized on the importance rain water harvesting, water conservation structures, global water demand and its solutions, water use efficiency of crops, bonding and gully control structures etc in the projected villages of Odisha. Dr. Deepak Das, Associate Professor, Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Bhubaneswar emphasized on water and climate change, future water availability and its solutions to curb the effect of water crisis etc. In the webinar, e-certificates were awarded to the winners under different competitions.

Dr. S K Srivastava, Director, ICAR-CIWA shared his views on water management and gender mainstreaming. The programme was coordinated by Dr. Sachidananda Swain, Dr. Praveen Jakhar and Mr. Neetish Kumar. The webinar ended by formal vote of thanks by Dr. P. Jakhar.